The Next Journey
by Pirobi
Summary: 3 years have passed since the battle between humans and boars in the west. Now, Ashitaka and San face a bigger problem that takes them across all of Japan, and through events which lead to its unification. As a tale of love, honor, and sacrifice, this story attempts to adhere to the spirit of its source material while giving a fresh look at what happens next to Ashitaka and San.
1. Prologue

**This original "sequel" to the film assumes that Ashitaka and San fulfil their promises and meet every so often. This also assumes that the time period that the movie and this sequel are in is close to the end of the Muromachi period...specifically a few months before Ashikaga Yoshiaki is driven out of Kyoto. I'm sure you can guess how these two events come together ;)**

**As for reading order, this is meant to be read in chapter order. Some chapters have the same name with different parts: this is just so specify that those chapters are related in some way - whether it be characterization, location, or story arc.**

**Chapter 1 - Prologue**

* * *

><p>It was a crisp, new day as Ashitaka hammered in the final post to the outer wall. The rebuilt Iron Town had become a peaceful village that kept in touch with nature. The men would go hunting along the river while the women would keep the village clean and tidy...and their roles switched sometimes, depending on how the women were feeling. It had been three years since the Forest Spirit was killed and reformed. Ashitaka had been meeting with San at least twice a month ever since. Together, they would reminisce about the events that happened a few years back, about Moro and the Boars, about Ashitaka's village, and anything else worth mentioning.<p>

However, San missed their next planned meet, set to be the previous day. Ashitaka wondered why San would miss it; she hasn't missed any meeting before...

"Ashitaka!"

It was Toki, who just finished scolding another group of men who were dozing on the job.

"It's not like you to get side-tracked. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Toki. I just feel..." Ashitaka couldn't find the right words to say, or explain about San. She still did not approve of the humans, and the villagers still referred to her as "Princess Mononoke".

"Well, it seems like you finished here. I guess you can take a short break, but if I catch you gawking with the men..." Ashitaka could not understand the rest of what Toki said as she withdrew from his post.

"Well, I guess I can get a quick meal-" Ashitaka stopped his breath as he saw San standing across the body of water...covered in blood. She was far away, but Ashitaka could tell her face was full of concern, and she gestured for Ashitaka to go to her.

"San? What happened?" Ashitaka thought to himself as he ran towards the gate. He ordered the men to open it, immediately rushing through in order to reach san on the other side of the river. He splashed through the water, not caring that his clothes were getting wet as he approached the wolf princess.

"San!"

"Ashitaka...the lake..." San murmured as Ashitaka caught his breath. Upon further inspection of San, he realized that the blood wasn't hers.

San quickly took Ashitaka to the spot where the Forest Spirit revived him just three years prior. On the ground was a dying animal. He was bloody and quiet, but when Ashitaka approached, the animal rolled over. It was a Boar...a small boar.

"I come from the south...I was left with the smaller ones after my people went to battle three years ago...our homeland..."

"What? Don't die on me!" Ashitaka grabbed the boar. Blood flowed onto the warrior's hands, but he didn't care as he held the boar close.

"...Humans...armor...they talked of an emperor..." The boar's last words echoed through the forest as it's head dropped. Ashitaka slowly lay the animal down as he looked over to San, who was still covered in the boar's blood.

"Ashitaka, we must find out what happened. I won't allow humans to repeat what they've done here!" San became furious, prompting Ashitaka to grab her.

"Don't worry. I'll get Yakul and we can depart tomorrow." Ashitaka reassured the girl. San nodded, closing her eyes.

The villagers of the new Iron Town crowded at the entrance as Ashitaka and Yakul got ready to depart. Some villagers had given Ashitaka some supplies for his journey, thinking it would only take a few days or so for him to do whatever he had to do. Lady Eboshi walked through the crowd just as Ashitaka was about to depart.

"A disturbance in the south?" Eboshi asked as Ashitaka mounted his Elk. Her stubbed arm dangled to her side as she stared into the eyes of the warrior.

"Yes. I'm afraid it has to do with the emperor...there seems to be something big happening; you better prepare yourselves, just in case."

"We'll be fine!" Toki assured Ashitaka, "Remember when we handled those Samurai? You've got nothing to worry about here! Just make sure you come back in one piece."

"Ashitaka?"

A little child emerged from the crowd. Ashitaka knew him as one of the villager's children; he would teach some of the children about swordplay and archery in his spare time.

"Are you leaving us?"

"Don't worry, I'll come back soon. Take care of him, Toki."

"No worries!"

Ashitaka met San near the southern edge of the forest. She was riding Mori, one of her wolf brothers. The other, Rutoo, stood next to a tree, promising to watch over the forest while San was gone.

"Are you ready to go?" Ashitaka looked at San, who gave one last glance at her home, at her brother.

"Yes."

And with that, the two departed towards the south, not knowing that this journey would be long and full of hardships, as well as beauty and adventure. This was their next journey.


	2. Journey to Kii

**Chapter 2 - Journey to Kii**

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><p>Ashitaka stopped along a small river and scooped up some water with his red bowl. A few fish swam by, each one very colorful and majestic-looking. Ashitaka stopped to think of the beauty of nature, but before he could think, San quickly grabbed two fish out of the river.<p>

"We must eat, Ashitaka." She said as she bit into one fish and tossed the other to a surprised Ashitaka. Her wolf brother was searching for his own fish while Yakul grazed on some grass nearby.

Staring at the fish in his hands, Ashitaka placed it in a bucket he had brought and gathered supplies to start a fire.

"We will rest here tonight."

* * *

><p>The night sky was streaked with stars. Ashitaka sat near the fire and stared at the endless ocean of stars while San and Yakul slept. San's wolf brother approached.<p>

"Why do you not rest? We have a long way to go until we reach Kii" Ashitaka asked him.

He only stared back, his piercing eyes poking a hole into Ashitaka's soul. San awoke from her sleep and joined Ashitaka near the fire.

"You should sleep, Ashitaka." San said as she signaled to her brother to scout the area. "You look troubled, what's wrong?"

"Something just doesn't feel right to me..." Ashitaka replied.

Changing the subject, San stared into the sky. "Doesn't it look beautiful?" She asked while laying down on the soft grass.

"It sure does."

Just then, San's brother gave a loud howl. San quickly jumped up and grabbed her knife.

"My brother says that there's something here." San said quietly as she surveyed the area. Ashitaka pulled out his bow as well, and listened into the darkness.

It was quiet except for the crackling of the fire. Both San and Ashitaka glanced in all directions for the threat. San looked up and yelled, "there!"

A giant dragon was flying right towards the two. They both dodged the dragon's swoop and the dragon flew back towards the fire. It was no ordinary dragon; it was a demon, corrupted in the same way Okkoto was...The demon dragon breathed a blue flame, which Ashitaka narrowly avoided. Yakul at this point had woken up and fled to a safer location. San's brother returned and helped in the battle.

Taking one arrow, Ashitaka shot the dragon right in the face. It hit, which made the dragon even madder. Its black wings stretched out and it charged towards Ashitaka. Ashitaka attempted to dodge again, but the dragon managed to bite his arm and fly back up.

"Ashitaka!"

San jumped on her brother's back and they attempted to slay the beast. Ashitaka tried his best to free himself from the dragon's clutches but his right arm hurt too much.

San's strategy involved jumping off of her brother and connecting with the dragon's eye. She managed to hit one, but the dragon closed even tighter onto Ashitaka's arm. His screams and movements shook his bow loose and it dropped to the ground. San ran towards it and picked it up. Taking one stray arrow on the ground, she began to take aim.

The dragon at this point started breathing fire through its nose. The intense heat was too much for Ashitaka. San managed to dodge the flame and took aim with the bow. She shot, but the arrow missed the dragon's eye and luckily missed Ashitaka's head. With no other option, San suddenly remembered the dagger that Ashitaka gave her. She took it off and tried to aim it at the dragon.

It was an awkward shot, but she managed to shoot the dagger and pierce the dragon's other eye. It dropped out of the sky and hit the ground hard. Ashitaka at this point grabbed his sword and stabbed the dragon through the back of the neck, dealing the final blow to the demon. San and her brother atttempted to loosen the dead dragon's mouth, and successfully did so. Ashitaka pulled his arm in quickly and ran to the river. Black blood started pouring from the bite wounds as the demon dragon's corpse decayed into bone. San retrieved her dagger and fastened it around her neck. Afterwards, she went to support Ashitaka.

"Here, I'll wrap that up for you."

The black blood kept coming and eventually covered all of Ashitaka's arm. Putting it in the water helped the pain, but the blood still spread. The color turned from black to purple, with the bite marks turning a blood red.

"Is this another curse?" Ashitaka questioned as San wrapped a cloth around his arm. "It seems different from the last one..."

"Don't worry, Ashitaka," San replied as she tied the cloth tight. Her brother approached the two and said, "I can smell the scent of herbs. There may be a medicine man nearby. He might know what is wrong."

San helped Ashitaka stand up, and called Yakul towards them.

The location of the Medicine Man's house was not too far from where Ashitaka was cursed. Nontheless, He was in great pain on the way. Following San and her wolf brother, Ashitaka grasped his arm while trying to stay on Yakul's back. He could feel his arm pulsing, and he began to hear voices...

"...Ashitaka!"

It was San, making sure Ashitaka doesn't slip away. He regained focus and caught up to San. After passing through a small forest, Ashitaka saw the wooden hut that belonged to the Medicine Man. It was located in the center of a clearing, next to a small lake. Vines grew on all sides, but the entire area looked well-kept. A small garden containing various plant life was behind the hut.

San, hesitant at first, knocked on the door of the Medicine Man's hut. The door creaked open, and an old man appeared before her. He held a small cane in one hand and a book in the other. He had one of the longest beards San has ever seen on a human. When he spoke, she could tell that he was kind-hearted.

"How can I help you?"

"Hello. My friend, Ashitaka, has been cursed by a demon dragon. Could you take a look, please? San's sincerity in her words prompted the Medicine Man to immediately head towards Ashitaka.

Upon further examination, the old man prompted the two to enter his abode. The inside of the Medicine Man's hut was very perplexing. Books lined the walls, vials and bowls containing mysterious liquids were contained in small crates. A small table was positioned in the center of the one-room hut.

"Please, take a seat. Show me your curse."

As Ashitaka unwrapped his right arm and showed it to the Medicine Man, he explained of his previous curse and the symptoms that came with it. Upon further examination, the Medicine Man sat back with an ominous look on his face.

"Yes...I've seen this only once before. This curse is different from the one you encountered previously. It's known as the Chimei ryu in these areas. The one man I had seen before with this curse used to be a great warrior of his village. After fighting a demon dragon, his arm looked very much like yours. He developed very great power. However, his mind began to decay soon after. He became agressive towards everyone, he could not percieve reality from fantasy, and he began to hear voices in his head. It was a fate worse than death..."

"Did he die from the curse after this, Medicine Man?" Ashitaka asked. He didn't want to go through another curse with the same consequences.

"I'm afraid that is not what happened to him. The curse didn't kill him; he was killed by revolting villagers. His anger, agression, and insanity ate at his soul and destroyed who he once was. The villagers had no choice but to kill him before he became even more dangerous. Some say his poor soul wanders around the village...the soul of the hero, not the demon he became. The words I told him will be the same ones I will tell you..."

The Medicine Man got up and walked towards one of the crates containing a green liquid. He picked one up and returned to the small table.

"As much as you think you have a grasp on your judgement, don't lose yourself. You may end up harming those around you, and destroy the image you have crafted for all who look up to you."

"How long do I have before this curse destroys me? And is there a cure?" Ashitaka started getting nervous, while San held back her tears.

"The man, known as Ochita Yurei, showed these signs a few months after being bit by the demon dragon...I'm sure you will too..."

"As for a cure, I have this liquid which can prolong the spread of the black blood. Take only one drop each day for it to work. The dragon's bite marks released a venom into your body - Black when active, purple when not. The progression of the curse depends on the progression of this venom...I must warn you, though. This liquid is most vile; it has a disgusting taste, but you must not spit it out or else you will cough blood. This is the sacrifice you must make to prolong the curse."

"For removal of the curse...I'm afraid I do not know. You can find other Medicine Men south in Kyushu and north in Hokkaido who may know more than I do. I wish you luck, young warrior."

Ashitaka stood up, placing the vial into his pouch. He gave a great bow and left the Medicine Man's hut with San.

"..." Ashitaka was deep in thought, fearful of what may happen to him if he doesn't find a cure.

"Ashitaka, I'm sure we will find a cure. Humans don't know as much as the spirits do." San said while mounting her wolf brother.

Before getting on Yakul, Ashitaka clenched his arm. It started turning black, which meant that the curse was spreading. He quickly pulled out the vial of foul liquid and readied one drop. San looked on, ready to support Ashitaka if needed.

When the drop of liquid touched Ashitaka's tounge, he had the sensation that he could not breathe or swallow. He hunched forward, ready to spit out the liquid...but he kept strong and swallowed the liquid. The taste was something he could not and would not describe...

San, reluctant at first of the effectiveness of the liquid, changed her mind when she saw Ashitaka's arm change from a black color to purple. With a smile, she set off towards the land of Kii.  
>Ashitaka, giving one last look at the Medicine Man's hut with a gesture of gratitude, climbed onto Yakul and followed his companion through the forest.<p>

Ashitaka's arm did not bother him as much as before, thanks to the liquid he had received from the Medicine Man. As he traveled further south towards Kii with San, he noticed a village off towards the east. There was dark smoke entering the sky, which Ashitaka soon found out was due to a fire.

There were villagers running in all directions, with soldiers chasing down and killing those who could not get away fast enough. One of them spotted Ashitaka and San and called to the others.

"There! On the hill!"

As three archers appeared and began to fire, Ashitaka pulled out his own bow and an arrow. He was about to draw, but he felt a sensation in his arm. While San looked on, Ashitaka pulled out two more arrows.

"Ashitaka? Are you sure you can hit them?" San questioned. Ashitaka had a look about him that she was unfamiliar with. He didn't seem like the same person.

"I don't know what I'm doing!"

Ashitaka drew the three arrows and aimed at the archers. He was going to aim carefully, but his arm released the string.

The arrows shot in a straight line, but turned to hit a target. Just like that, four were killed. One arrow tore an archer's arm off, one decapitated another archer, and the last arrow passed straight through the third archer's heart and killed another soldier behind him.

San was puzzled, as was Ashitaka was.

"This must be the power the medicine man spoke of." She said while pulling out her knife.

At this point, the other soldiers stopped terrorizing the villagers and turned their attention to Ashitaka, swords drawn. Ashitaka put his bow away and pulled out his sword.

Ashitaka could not tell what happened next. From blood flying everywhere to people screaming, it was all a blur. He mowed down waves of soldiers, causing the remaining ones to retreat. Ashitaka stabbed his sword into the ground and fell over. San put her dagger away and ran towards the fallen warrior. When she arrived, she saw his arm: it was black, but quickly faded back to the purple tint.

As for the remaining villagers, they had seen the carnage that took place.

"A demon! Stay out of our village!" One of the villagers yelled. Some women covered their children and the men were ready to fight.

San called Yakul over to her and placed an unconcious Ashitaka over his back. She then got on her Wolf brother and they left the village.

Stopping by a small lake, San took the incentive to catch dinner and start a fire.

Ashitaka woke up in the evening. A small fire was built, and San was busy eating some freshly caught fish. He felt dizzy, and had no recollection of what had happened.

"...San, where are we? Did we save those people?" He had a puzzled look on his face.

San didn't want to tell Ashitaka that the effects of the curse were starting already. If she did, Ashitaka may begin to lose faith, so she said:

"Yes. You were hit hard by a soldier, and passed out. I brought you here."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Ashitaka said calmly, "Is that food?"

San gave Ashitaka the cooked fish. She knew by now that he prefers to eat cooked, and did so before he woke.

"I still don't understand why you need it cooked, though."

* * *

><p>The next day, Ashitaka woke up and took another drop of the liquid. It stung his tounge, but he forced it down. The pain in his arm proceded to go away after that. He was able to stand up now, so he removed his outer wear and jumped into the lake. It was refreshing for him, as the coldness of the water further relieved his pain.<p>

San had awoken by now and noticed Ashitaka in the water. He had called for her to join him, and she did. Together, they swam towards a small island in the middle of the lake. Yakul was in the water as well while San's brother kept watch. Once at the island, they sat there and stared at the clouds. Ashitaka was happy, and it seemed as if all his problems went away.

While it was good to take a break, San's brother called out to them, "We must get going. The longer we delay, the worse things will get."

After swimming back and drying off, Ashitaka put his dry clothes on and set off. Kii was much closer now, and Ashitaka figured that they would make it in another day.

"San, if things get worse," Ashitaka said, "just remember this day. We saved those people and had fun."

San looked down, knowing the truth about what transpired at the village. She could not imagine what would happen to Ashitaka when his condition worsens. She realized, though, that they should appreciate what they have until that moment happens...


	3. Battle for Kii

**Chapter 3 - Battle for Kii**

* * *

><p>"Ashitaka, we're here!"<p>

Ashitaka woke up on the back of Yakul, hearing San's voice from in front of him. They were at the top of a small precipice overlooking a field. San looked on in anger; there were men cutting down trees and building a fortress. Ready to pull her dagger out, Ashitaka quickly stopped her.

Just as she was calming down, she spotted a few men killing a boar.

"You! Don't move!" The men yelled to the boar, who held its ground and prepared to fight. And it did.

"You destroy my homeland, drive my kin out...I shall have your heads!" The boar was stupid with rage and charged the man in front of him.

The other men retaliated and shot the boar. Before it could recover, another man came out with a sword, and chopped the boar's head clean off.

San looked away as this happened, then charged down into the valley. Ashitaka had no choice but to follow her. San slew two men and cut a third. Her wolf brother tore away at another group of men. Ashitaka stopped running; reinforcements came and restrained San, taking her into the fortress. Her brother was restrained as well.

"san..."

Ashitaka checked his arm first, and found it to be purple.

"Stay here, Yakul, and don't get caught." Ashitaka told his faithful companion. He then ran towards the fortress and hid behind a few boxes. When there were no guards in sight, Ashitaka ran into the entrance. The inside of the fortress was dark and damp. Many soldiers and guards were roaming the halls. Ashitaka didn't want to get caught, so he hid behind crates, walls, and anything else that gave him cover. Whie hiding behind a stack of rice barrels, he overheard two soldiers talking:

"So, why are we out here again?"

"The emperor is protecting his boarders. There have been talks of revolutions among the different lands. He doesn't want them to take over this territory. We're going to be expanding down towards Kyushu as well."

Ashitaka waited for the soldiers to pass, and continued on his way. He reached the room where San was held and quietly broke in.

"Ashitaka!"

San was delighted to see Ashitaka again, but quickly prepared to battle. Ashitaka tried to stop her, but she wouldn't cooperate.

"Ashitaka, these humans must pay for what they've done. This land was home to the boars, and they took over when the boars left...They have no right!"

San ran out the door, leaving Ashitaka alone. He knew that she would get herself killed, and prepared to fight as well.

"First, I should find San's brother."

Ashitaka wandered down the hall where the cells were located, and found another. San's brother wasn't in it, but a lowly man.

"Hey, you! You don't look like the other soldiers. Could you help me?" The man asked in a humble voice.

Ashitaka unlocked the door and let the man out.

"Thank you, sir! My name is Dumai. I am a follower of the great Nobunaga Oda."

"Oda?" Ashitaka asked. He thought to himself, is this one of the rebels to the emperor?

"Hai. I am one of his captains. He'll be glad to see me again!" The man said as he heard some guards approach.

"We need to get out of here before you can see him again." Ashitaka said as he pulled out his sword. Dumai took a sword from the nearby table and readied himself too.

"I think it came from over here!"

Two soldiers appeared and ran into the room where Dumai was held. Seeing no one, they turned around to find Ashitaka and Dumai run their blades through the two soldiers. Ashitaka and Dumai ran out of the room and halted at a corner. As a soldier emerged, Ashitaka quicklyl stabbed the man. He could hear the howling of a wolf, and headed in that direction.

"Ashitaka, wait!" Dumai said, "The exit is this way!"

"I need to find my friends," Ashitaka said back, "You can go on ahead."

"No. I'll stay with you." Dumai replied, running towards the source of the howling.

There were five soldiers with guns pointed at San's brother. He had resisted being placed into a prison cell and was fighting his way out. Ashitaka could see San high above on a window ledge.

"Who are these two? Fire on them!"

Just as they began to shoot, San threw her dagger down towards one of the soldiers and leaped down towards another. Her dagger hit the gun hard enough for the soldier to shoot into the one next to him, who fell into the third. San kicked the gun of the fourth onto the floor and swept the fifth's legs.

As the survivors began to recover, Ashitaka and Dumai charged. With the soldiers dead, San looked at Ashitaka with a look of contempt. when she took notice of Dumai, she became defensive.

"San, don't worry. He's a friend." Ashitaka reassured her.

San backed up towards her brother. "If you trust him, then I will...for now. Let's just get out of here and kill the remaining soldiers."

"Wait," Dumai said, "You will be slaughtered if you attempt to kill them. I have a small army waiting beyond the hills. I told them to follow my mark, and only my mark."

"Fine."

* * *

><p>The four managed to escape the fortress without any problem and fled to the other side of the hills. There was no one there.<p>

"...Human, is this a trick?" San said, bewildered.

Then, many samurai emerged from the outlining forest.

"Captain Dumai is back!" They cheered and prepared for battle.

"Men," Dumai commanded, "I think it is time. For Lord Oda!"

The men screamed, and charged towards the fortress.

"Ashitaka, how can you trust him?" San questioned.

"These lands, all of these lands, are poisoned with humans fighting and killing each other and everything around them. I believe that this Oda can help put an end to it." Ashitaka looked on at the ensuing battle.

"...We'll see." San said as she and her brother rushed into the fight.

Dumai was busy slaying a few soldiers when he saw San running towards him with a dagger in hand. He pulled his sword in front of him for defense, and San leaped in the air. She landed behind him, and as he turned around, he saw the body of a soldier fall. San got back up and made one look at Dumai, a look which Dumai translated as "Don't think we're on friendly terms yet", then turned to fight the soldiers.

Ashitaka soon joined the battle, and the heat of afternoon rolled on. He sliced three soldiers in half, and kicked a fourth right in the jaw. He could feel his cured power even more, and his right arm began to turn black again. He clenched his arm when the pain began to come back, and was kicked in the stomach by a soldier. He dropped to the ground, in pain, and was nearly killed by the soldier. Dumai came to the rescue and helped Ashitaka back up.

"Now we're even. You saved me, I saved you."

Ashitaka nodded and pulled out his bow. There were archers on the walls of the fortress, with Samurai shooting at them from afar. Ashitaka pulled out an arrow and let it fly. He realized, though, that he accidentally shot it towards a small pole. The arrow hit the pole and split into two arrows, which kept going and killed two archers.

By this time, the soldiers began bringing out the guns. They shot and killed numerous samurai. San's brother sprang into action, charging at every soldier with a gun. He dodged shot after shot, and tore each gun in half.

San was busy with the rest of the archers, She jumped onto the wall and took hits at every archer. One arrow clipped her cheek, but she shrug it off and killed the last archer. She wiped the blood off of her cheek and moved on.

"Retreat!" The soldiers began yelling as the samurai fortified the fortress. The men started cheering and their morale rose.

Ashitaka managed to find San, and they embraced. Some of San's blood stained Ashitaka's shirt, and Ashitaka wiped her cut clean. Dumai approached them, thanking them.

"Lord Oda would be pleased with your strength. If you wish to join us on our conquest, I'm sure he will be delighted to have you among our ranks."

"Thank you, but we have other matters to attend to now." San quickly replied. The tone in her voice sounded as if she was a second away from striking.

Dumai looked up at the sky, then looked back.

"Very well. When we cross paths again, then." He gave a deep bow and turned back to his army.

San looked at Ashitaka, and said, "Now these samurai will destroy this land!"

Ashitaka looked back at her and exclaimed, "San! There is something bigger at work here! It's bigger than you, me, your brothers, and your forest! If we don't help these men, everything you know could be gone! They are trying to bring peace to these lands, and you need to give them credit for that!" The rage in Ashitaka's voice definitely was a result of the curse. San looked down, and then turned away.

"If you want to join them, then go! It's a lost cause, anyway! You will just end up killing each other and destroying this land! I'll return to my forest. If any threat comes, I know I can combat it..." San began to get tears in her eyes. "Curse or not, just get away from me!" She got on the back of her brother, and then ran off to the north.

Ashitaka just stood there with his eyes closed. Yakul approached his side, and the sun began to set. As he saw San move farther into the distance, the sky grew darker and darker until both San and the light were gone.


	4. San's Story Part 1

**Chapter 4 - San's Story part 1**

* * *

><p>San and her brother raced back towards her home, the forest. They stopped at the lake where she and Ashitaka had their swim. Looking at the place only made her even more mad, and more teary. They continued on.<p>

San stopped at the village that shunned Ashitaka out. She was going to continue moving on, except a small boy caught her eye. He was about 8 years of age, and was playing with a wooden sword.

"Roku!" The boy's mother called out to him. She picked him up and they sat in front of their hut. San wanted to leave, but something kept her there. She was at first reminded of her mother and how she raised San ever since she was a baby. That feeling, however, passed and a different one emerged; one which was sparked by Ashitaka's words, "You are a human."

San had the feeling of wanting to be with a human family. As much as she denied it, she had to face the truth: She is a human. She has human feelings, such as her feelings toward Ashitaka. She has human emotions, human hair, human features, and whatnot. She also had a human family, and she was sure they are alive...

"San, is there something wrong?" Her brother called to her.

"No, Mori..." San replied in a soft tone. She realized now that Ashitaka was right. The war between the emperor and the samurai will continue to grow, and will eventually reach her forest. She cannot stop it alone; San has to pick a side. She knows that everything will change, and that it must. She would be protecting her forest even more by helping Oda's army...

"Mori, we have to stay. We can't stay in our forest and pretend that the outside world will not affect us, because it will. We have to meet our fate, not let it come to us. And I can't leave Ashitaka; he means so much to me."

"Fine."

San and Mori took one last look at the boy Roku, who was asleep in his mother's arms, and headed back towards Kii.

While on their way, she spotted an Elk, and immediately knew it was Ashitaka.

"Ashitaka!"

San jumped off Mori and ran towards Ashitaka. He jumped of Yakul and ran right up to San as well. When they reached each other, they embraced under the stars. A shooting star passed by as San gave Ashitaka one quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm sorry. I know what we must do. We have to represent our forest and Iron Town in Oda's army," San said. Ashitaka looked at her and towards Mori, who nodded in agreement.

"What should we do now?" Ashitaka asked as they removed each other from their grasp.

"The medicine man spoke of another in Kyushu who may know how to remove your curse." San replied.

"Yeah, and I heard the soldiers saying that they were spreading towards Kyushu as well..." Ashitaka said as he boarded Yakul.

* * *

><p>Upon returning to the fortress in Kii, Ashitaka and San approached Dumai and told him of Kyushu.<p>

"I see...Oda does have another army heading towards Kyushu. I have a boat with supplies that is heading towards Funai and into Hakataka. You can take that. Speak to Toyotomi Hideyoshi; he's in the Chugoku region in the west now, ready to move into Kyushu."

"Thank you." Ashitaka said in response.

Ashitaka, San, Mori, and Yakul were led to the boat by one of Dumai's men. "These people are with the Oda Clan. Let them go to Kyushu!"

The men on the ship accepted and escorted the four onboard. There were many crates of food, weapons, and supplies. Many men were attending to the boat, and eventually embarked.

Ashitaka took one look back at Kii, then towards San.

"There's no turning back now. Are you ready?"

"When I'm with you, I'll always be ready," San replied. They both looked out towards the horizon in the west, prepared to face their destiny.

* * *

><p>San was not accustomed to a boat as she nearly became seasick. The boat swayed in the water back and forth, with creaking wood filling the air. San stationed herself to the side with Mori right behind her.<p>

"How could you humans stand this? This is torture!" She said in a low tone. Ashitaka laughed as her face turned a light green color, but stopped as his arm started to hurt again. As he checked the progress of the curse, he noticed a purple tint on his shoulder. It was spreading.

Their boat arrived in Funai around noon. As Ashitaka looked over the side of the boat, he noticed the townspeople. Many were skinny and looked sick. "Their homelands were burned down by the Shimazu clan. Some came here to Funai as refugees. We have brought food and supplies for them." Hearing this made Ashitaka mad. Mad at the Shimazu, mad at everyone in this divided land. After unloading the supplies, the boat set off.

"We stop in Kitakyushu. A caravan will be there and will send supplies to Hakataka, where Hideyoshi is staying. You can follow them," One of the boatmen said.

That night, Ashitaka lay in a futon in a small cabin room. San was on the other side with Mori, and Yakul stayed on deck. His arm did not stop hurting since earlier, so he took a drop of the liquid. Nearly rejecting the fowl liquid, Ashitaka fell backwards and made a loud thud. He got up and walked on deck to accompany Yakul.

"Oh, Yakul..." Ashitaka started. "I wonder how everyone in my old village is...We should go visit them sometime. I can bring San with me..." He stopped as San emerged from her sleeping quarters. She was still weary, and approached Ashitaka.

"Why do you not sleep?" She asked him while looking up at the sky. She then looked down and saw land.

A man suddenly came up to them. "We're here," he said, then continued on to the lower levels. They have arrived.

Kitakyushu was a very large place. It was bustling with markets, people, and soldiers. Some buildings were being repaired as a result of attacks by the Shimazu. Many children ran through the alleyways, playing and laughing.

After leaving the ship, Ashitaka thanked the men running it, then climbed on Yakul.

"We can meet this Hideyoshi and then find that medicine man." He said to San. She was silent, but nodded her head. They approached the caravan that would be heading towards Hakataka, It comprised of a horse pulling a cart filled with bags of rice and other supplies. A man who looked like a warrior led the horse. His wife, dressed in elegant clothing, accompanied him. Together, they passed through the town and started their trek towards Hakataka.

"It won't take long to get there," The man said with a smile.

The landscape was amazing. Hills of grassy plains stretched as far as the eye could see. It looked so peaceful...which made Ashitaka worried. He didn't want the Shimazu to invade here. He had to help put a stop to it.

"Ashitaka," San started, "this is beautiful. We can't let them destroy it."

Ashitaka thought of the future, of the battle he knew was coming. "If this Hideyoshi person has the same goal in mind," he thought to himself, "...He must."


	5. Kyushu Adventures

**Chapter 5 - Kyushu Adventures**

* * *

><p>The caravan trodded along the dirt road to Hakataka. The man and woman were playing instruments and singing folk songs. San was amazed at the music created and admired their creativity.<p>

Ashitaka, however, was in pain. He clenched his arm as he downed another drop of the fowl liquid. The black tint on his right arm began to turn purple as the pain receded. He looked ahead and saw the edge of a forest.

"This forest is very sacred to us," the man started, "Many years ago, I was lost in these woods. Broken and beaten, I kept moving on just so I could see my loved ones again. Suddenly, I saw a Kodama. It lead me out of the forest! Every year, I return here and give a small offering to the Kodama and the Kyushu forest spirit. It will take a day to get through the forest to Hakataka, so I figured I'd take the time to make that offering tonight, if you don't mind."

Ashitaka nodded, and the caravan proceded into the forest. This forest was similar to the one near Iron Town, which made San and Mori feel right at home. The sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling was very calming and soothing. When the caravan reached a small clearing, the man ran to a large tree with a large stone in front of it and knelt down. He pulled out a small pouch and a candle. After lighting the candle and placing it in on the stone, he placed the contents of the pouch right next to it.

"Oh great forest spirit and Kodama...I come again to give you an offering as eternal thanks for showing me the way. I also pray for a safe travel through this forest with my companions." The man bowed and chanted a prayer.

San looked on, happy that some humans appreciate the spirits. This reinforces her idea that these are the humans she must save, and that not all humans are bad. The caravan decided to sleep in the clearing for the night and continue through the forest at dawn.

Ashitaka had a weird dream that night. He was fighting an army of soldiers, with San by his side. Suddenly, his arm hurt greatly and Ashitaka killed everyone around him...including San.

Waking up with a fright, Ashitaka looked over at San. She was sleeping peacefully next to Mori. Ashitaka's arm began to hurt again, and his chest began to hurt too. After taking off his shirt, he saw that the poison had spread to part of his chest...He knew that the liquid only served to slow the curse, and decided to find the medicine man of Kyushu as soon as he could. Ashitaka dealt with the pain until morning, when it went away.

After a quick breakfast, the caravan moved on through the forest. Ashitaka still looked tired, and felt tired too.

"Are you all right, Ashitaka?" San questioned, noticing his fatigue.

Before he could answer, an arrow flew right in front of Ashitaka's face and into the tree to his left. Yakul became startled at the sound of splintering wood and kicked Ashitaka off. The caravan halted as the man and woman ducked down in fear. San pulled out her knife and looked for the culprit.

Two more arrows flew by. One nicked the wagon, while the other nearly hit San. Ashitaka, now enraged, pulled out his bow and aimed towards the source of the arrows. He saw six figures, all holding bows. Five were male, and one was a female. The female was the youngest of the five.

"Thieves!" The man said, cowering in fear.

One of the thieves shot an arrow straight for Ashitaka. Ashitaka shot an arrow, which split the thief's arrow right in half and hit him right in the neck. The other thieves stopped fire for a moment, and San looked at Ashitaka. She could see that his arm and part of his neck were a black tint, and the fire in his eyes grew bigger. Before she could calm him down, he jumped into the bushes toward the thieves.

The thieves noticed this and pulled out swords. Ashitaka pulled out his own sword and targeted the nearest thief. The thief used his own sword to block Ashitaka's attack, but Ashitaka's sword broke right through and shattered the blade, which flew and killed a thief close by. In a second movement, Ashitaka killed the thief with the broken blade.

With only three thieves left, they started to hesitate.

"Hey, we were only trying to steal your food...we didn't want to harm anyone! I swear!" The female thief exclaimed. One of the other thieves stopped her, and said, "But if you want to fight, then come on!" The two male thieves proceded to charge at Ashitaka. As Ashitaka blocked the move of one thief, he did not see the second thief's move coming. Before he was hit, San's knife appeared and blocked the attack.

"Ashitaka!"

Ashitaka then moved his sword and killed the man who was blocked by San's blade. He then used the hilt of his sword to deliver a blow to the other thief's head, which knocked him down to the ground. After sticking his blade into the chest of this thief, he proceded to turn to the female thief. She was cowering under a tree, crying as her teammates were all dead around her. "T-Those were my brothers..." she said, sobbing.

There was an emptiness in Ashitaka's gaze, as if he did not care what was happening. He raised his sword to deliver the blow, but San quickly grabbed on.

"Stop it! These people didn't deserve to die in cold blood!" She tried to put Ashitaka's sword down, but he resisted. Ashitaka, in self-defense, turned around and hit San with the hilt of his blade. She fell to the ground, holding her cheek. Ashitaka realized what happened, and dropped his sword, dropping himself to the ground as well. The black tint returned to a purple tint, and he grew silent. The female thief got up and ran away, leaving San and Ashitaka alone.

"San...forgive me." He said quietly. "I couldn't control myself...this curse..."

San moved towards Ashitaka and embraced him.

"It's okay...but I don't know how much worse this will get..." She replied calmly.

They both got up and joined the caravan.

"Hey, what happened over there?" The woman asked Ashitaka.

"Everything's okay now. Let's continue on..." Ashitaka said. As he turned towards Yakul, he saw a figure in the distance. It looked like a horse, but also like a dragon...he then thought of the Kyushu forest spirit. The pain he currently had in his arm soon increased, and he looked away.

After a few hours, the end of the forest became visible. The caravan saw a glimpse of a Kodama right as they exited the forest.

"Thank you!" The man yelled toward the Kodama. "Now, on to Hakataka!"

Within a few hours of passing through the forest, the caravan reached the town of Hakataka. Ashitaka, however, was silent for the remainder of the journey. He couldn't forgive himself for killing those thieves the way he did. They were all so young...even though they nearly killed him.

Hakataka was a small village ruled by Oda and his allies. Many people came here from other parts of Kyushu to get away from the Shimazu clan. Traders, warriors, children, and women all lived here. As the caravan entered the town, some people began to scream!

"A spirit Wolf has come back! Don't kill us, please!"

The women guarded their children and men began to take out weapons. They were all looking at Mori as if he was here before. San, in retaliation, began to pull out her dagger.

"How dare you!" She yelled towards the crowd.

"We have been attacked by those spirit wolves for a few days now," a man moved forward. "Many of our elderly are injured, and many others were killed!"

San stood there, dumbfounded at what she heard.

"This is not right...Mori wouldn't kill humans unless they were threatening him..."

"Well," the man continued, "Maybe your wolf isn't the one attacking us, but he may attract the other wolves. The ones that attacked us just appeared from nowhere and injured and killed our loved ones. We would appreciate it if he would leave the village."

San nodded, and turned to leave the village with Mori. Ashitaka gave a nod to the caravan and parted ways with them, following San.

"San," Mori said, "They are acting just like we were with Iron Town three years ago. Why do you oppose this?"

San replied, "Because the people of Iron Town were destroying our forest. Look around - this forest is fine, and the people here are weak and injured from war. These people seem to have done nothing to provoke the wolves...We need to find them."

Ashitaka then approached the two. "Why do you think the wolves are doing this?"

Darkness soon approached. Ashitaka and San made camp a small distance from the entrance to Hakataka. After returning from the village with food, they all began to eat.

Suddenly, San looked up as if she had heard a sound. Soon after, Ashitaka heard a howling sound from the east. "That must be them," he said.

"Ashitaka, wait here. Mori and I will go talk to them." San said as she climbed on the back of her wolf brother.

San and Mori approached the woods where the howling came from. These woods were different than the ones that she had passed through before...these woods felt more mystical and spiritual. Several Kodama popped out of bushes and from the treetops. The forest had a blue tint to it. San felt like she was home.

They soon appeared before hundreds of spirit wolves. San was amazed that there were many more than she had thought. As soon as the other wolves noticed San and Mori, they began to growl and were ready to strike.

"Your scent seems familiar, but we've never seen you before. What is your business here?" One of the spirit wolves growled.

Another spirit wolf emerged from the crowd. This one was larger and looked similar to Moro, which made San think about her even more.

"You have the scent of Moro." The other wolves immediately dropped their guard. "I am the mother of these wolves. They call me Ikki. I've known Moro for many years."

San at first was surprised. She knew Moro? San had finally found others who were like her...or at least other wolves. San's primal wolf instincts came rushing back, but she didn't forget why she was here.

"I am glad to meet you, but why are you attacking the nearby village?" San questioned.

"Ha! I've heard plenty about what you and Moro have done to that village three years ago. We are following in your footsteps. The difference, however, is that there are more of us."

"No," San quickly replied, "We attacked because our forest was being destroyed by those humans. Your forest is not harmed! And those villagers are defenseless against an attack..."

Part of San understood what Ikki was doing, but her human emotions emerged through her instincts. San felt conflicted; she's been a wolf for most of her life, but she truly is a human...

"Foolish! You may have been raised by Moro, but you are not one of us. No matter how much you've lived like us, you will never be one of us. Those humans are destroying these lands with their wars. We are taking it back. We attack at dawn. If you don't wish to join us, then leave. If you stay in the village, nothing will stop us from killing you."

"Your hatred of the humans..." San was reminded of the boars, of everything that had happened 3 years ago. "This hatred will turn you into a demon!"

"I am prepared to meet my fate." Ikki growled, taking a step towards San.

San flinched at this. Mori then manuvered himself in between San and Ikki, but San climbed on his back. Without a word, the two of them left the forest.

Meanwhile, Ashitaka made his way back into the village of Hakataka. He passed a group of children playing in the streets.

"Hey, it's dark out. Shouldn't you kids be sleeping?" Ashitaka asked.

"Don't call us kids!" One of the children pointed out. There were eight of them, all male. They carried wooden kendo sticks and dressed in intricate clothing. "We are the defenders of Hakataka! While the adults are either injured or defending this land, we defend our homes."

Ashitaka smiled, and continued on his way. He passed a large tent that had a symbol he had seen before - with Dumai. "This must be Hideyoshi's tent." He said to himself. There was light coming from the tent, so he made his way inside.

The tent was filled with supplies, and one man sat in the center. He looked like a respectable warrior.

"Hm? Who are you?" The man asked as Ashitaka approached.

"My name is Ashitaka. I have been sent here by a man named Dumai to meet Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The man got up from his chair and laughed. "I am Hideyoshi! You wish to join the Nobunaga clan? We do need more soldiers to fight."

Ashitaka backed up. "I may join, but not as a full-time soldier. I have my own goals to accomplish," he said as he clenched his right arm. "What are your goals, Hideyoshi-san?"

Hideyoshi sat back down in his chair. "Peace. Unity. Honor. These lands have been torn apart by different clans. Lord Oda dreams to unite all of Japan under his rule. We who follow him do our best to accomplish this."

Ashitaka heard this and gave a sigh of relief. "In that case, I will join on the condition that I may freely come and go."

"Wait right there!" Hideyoshi interjected, "I can't just let you join! I don't know how strong you are...although you do seem honorable. I will think about it. Come back at dawn, and I shall test you."

Ashitaka nodded and left the tent, returning to the outskirts of the village. As he walked up to Yakul, he saw San and Mori in the distance.

"San? What happened with the wolves?" He noticed that San had a look on her face as if something terrible happened.

"The wolves...are going to attack the village in the morning." San quickly stated. "They will stop for nothing to kill every last one of the villagers, and will kill us as well."

Ashitaka stood breathless. "We must warn the villagers!" Ashitaka stated. San got off of Mori, and ran with Ashitaka back into the village.


	6. The Wolf Queen

**Chapter 6 - The Wolf Queen**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka led San through the quiet streets of Hakataka. His first instinct was to warn Hideyoshi of what was going to happen to the village. He passed the kids he saw earlier, who were patrolling the town.<p>

"Hey, why are you in a hurry?" One of the kids asked.

"The spirit wolves are going to attack! Go and warn as many people as you can!" Ashitaka replied quickly, then continued toward Hideyoshi's tent. Once inside, he found the man sitting at a small table enjoying a cup of tea.

"You're back! And you brought a guest! Want some tea?"

"No time for that," Ashitaka said. The look on his face made Hideyoshi know that something was wrong.

"The spirit wolves are going to attack and kill everyone in this village!"

When he heard this, Hideyoshi stood up and dropped his cup of tea. Without a word, he beckoned Ashitaka over to a table piled with samurai armor.

"Here, you will need something for protection. There's no time to test you for the army; surviving the attack will be more than enough for me," Hideyoshi said in a low voice. He gave ashitaka a thin but sturdy piece of armor, a pair of gauntlets, and a matching undershirt. After putting the undershirt on, he tore off the right sleeve so he could easily check the status of his cursed arm. Hideyoshi handed him a sleveless yellow tunic bearing the Oda symbol on the back.

"There, you are now a loyal soldier of Lord Oda!" Hideyoshi said before turning to San. "Would you like something too? Your current outfit is..."

"No, thank you." San said quickly. "I can use what I have."

Turning back to Ashitaka, he looked at his sword. "How is your blade?"

Ashitaka pulled out his sword, and noticed that one side was cracked. Hideyoshi saw this and moved to the opposite side of the tent.

"This must have happened when I attacked those thieves in the forest..." Ashitaka said out loud, remembering the lives he viciously took away.

The sound of people was heard outside the tent. Women were screaming, while men were talking of arming themselves. The town had become fully aware that wolves were going to attack and were taking the necessary precautions to defend themselves. Even though many were sick and injured, they rallied together anyway.

"Here. This samurai blade once belonged to a close friend of mine." Hideyoshi said as he returned with a katana. The sheath had the design of a dragon on it, and the handle of the blade was carved into a dragon head as well.

"He called it the Shibo. When he died, he left it in my care...I could tell when I first saw you that you had the same fighting spirit as he did. That's why I'm trusting you with Shibo." Hideyoshi handed Ashitaka the Shibo, and ran to the entrance of the tent.

"Get to the defense post! It's right where you entered into this town. I'll see you there!"

As Hideyoshi left, Ashitaka pulled out the Shibo. The blade shined in the darkness. If felt very light, but Ashitaka could feel the endless numbers of people slain by the blade. He turned to San.

"Let's go."

It was a few hours past dawn, when Ikki said the wolves would attack. The people were getting restless and angry.

"Are they even coming?"

"Liars! They aren't attacking!"

People started to walk back to their homes. Ashitaka looked at San, who was a little confused. Then, a howl could be heard in the distance. Soon after, more howls could be heard. Each new howl sent another villager back to the post. Eventually, the entire forest sounded like one giant wolf. One emerged from the forest, followed by another, and another. San then noticed Ikki, and Ikki stared right into San's eyes as if she were peering into her soul.

"San," Ashitaka said, "These are wolves...like ones you were...are you sure you want to fight them?"

"These wolves are nothing like us. Moro would never attack unprovoked...they bring shame to everything I stood for!" San's eyes began to tear up as she raised her dagger. Soon, an arrow flew, followed by more, and then the battle began.

The villagers charged at the wolves, who also picked up speed. Mori joined San, who climbed on his back. She then pulled out a yellow cloth, similar to the material used to make Ashitaka's tunic, and tied it to Mori's neck in order to let the people know that he is on their side.

Ashitaka pulled out Shibo and charged at a pair of wolves. He was able to take down both easily and smoothly with his new sword. He saw another warrior about to be killed by a wolf, and killed it just in time. Ashitaka was then knocked onto the ground by a wolf coming in from behind. It was about to attack when a single arrow pierced its head and it fell to the ground. Ashitaka looked towards the source of the arrow and saw the thief girl from the forest.

"You spared my life...I'll spare yours." She said with a smile, which quickly faded away when she remembered her fallen teammates.

San and Mori fought their way to where Ikki was, but more wolves appeared as they continued. San stood up on Mori's back and leaped over the pack of wolves and toward Ikki. She had her blade ready to strike, but Ikki smoothly dodged.

"Foolish human! You cannot kill the leader of the Kyushu spirit wolves! We shall run through that village and kill all humans we can find, then move on to the next village, and the next. We will claim these lands for the wolves!"

As Ikki was talking, San managed to deliver a quick blow to her side. Enraged by this, Ikki knocked San away. Her eyes then began to glow red, and the tentacle-like things started to appear. San knew that Ikki was turning into a demon. Ikki then leaped over her wolves and the humans, and landed right in the entrance to the town. The other wolves started to overcome the villagers, and chased them into the town as well.

Many villagers died trying to defend their home, some more gruesome than others. After an hour the entire battlefield was littered with wolves and humans, and the battle kept going on inside the village. Wolves roamed the streets as humans either chased them or were chased by them. Most women and children were hidden in a safe house, but some decided to stay in their own homes. They were the ones attacked and killed first.

Ashitaka saw a wolf enter a house, and followed it. He saw the wolf cornering a woman and her child. Ashitaka shot an arrow right into its back. The arrow went all the way through the wolf and hit the wall. As the wolf fell, Ashitaka saw that the woman was injured and crying, and the child was in the wolf's mouth.

Feeling ashamed that he couldn't save the child, Ashitaka's arm turned black. He pulled out Shibo and ran back into the streets. He sliced off the heads of as many wolves as he could find and sliced any wolf that moved. As he did this, a wolf attacked from his side and tore off the pouch containing the liquid used to control the curse. Ashitaka noticed this, and turned to face the wolf. The wolf dropped the pouch, which made the vial shatter. Enraged, Ashitaka stabbed the wolf right through the temple. At this point, Ashitaka was not in control of his actions.

San continued to follow Ikki, who was also not in control of her actions. Ikki tore through walls and killed everything in her way, including wolves. Ikki stopped at the town square and turned to face San. She got off of Mori and confronted the demon.

"So you wish to die, girl?" Ikki asked. "You are pathetic. You want to think of yourself as a wolf, but you are not! You are human, yet you can never be one. There is an entire world out there that you can never understand. Just die here!"

Ikki charged at San, who dodged at the last second and took a few quick stabs. Eventually, Ikki rammed San into the wall of a house. At this moment, Ashitaka appeared behind Ikki. She turned around and laughed.

"Ha! You humans are all the same, thinking you have control over us! Well you have it wrong; we control you!"

Ikki charged at Ashitaka, who took one swipe at the giant wolf. The tentacles attached to Ashitaka's arm and extended to his sword, covering it completely. Ashitaka then shook his arm, and the tentacles dropped off to reveal a black blade, stained with the curse. Ikki charged again.

Ashitaka took another swipe into Ikki's side, leaving a bright red line across the giant wolf's side. Blood fell from the giant wound, and the tentacles around it dropped off and died. As Ikki fell in a pool of her blood, Ashitaka fell to his knees. His arm reverted to the purple tint, and he recovered. Holding his head, he slowly got back up and turned towards the giant wolf.

By this time, the other spirit wolves stopped the assault and looked on at their mother. Ashitaka turned away from Ikki and started to walk when Ikki rose back up.

"I shall not die at the hands of a human!"

Ikki lunged at Ashitaka, who took a defensive stance. Then, a white blur appeared. It was San, who stabbed Ikki right in the eye with her dagger. The giant wolf gasped for air, then dropped dead. The tentacles melted away, leaving a bony carcass at Ashitaka's feet.

"She...she killed the wolf queen!" One of the wolves said. "She's the new wolf queen!"

"Wolf Queen!" The wolves began to shout in celebration. San was shocked at this.

"Well...as wolf queen, I order you to never attack this or any other village again! You are to be protectors of the forest, and only attack if the forest is harmed!"

The wolves all agreed and walked back into the forest.

The villagers helped each other restore the village to what it used to be and moved all slain bodies to be properly buried. As Ashitaka and San looked on, Hideyoshi approached them.

"You have a myserious power..." he said as he looked at Ashitaka's arm. "It will be quite useful in the battles ahead. And you, Wolf Queen..."

San gave a small smile as Hideyoshi continued. "Well, I am off to join the rest of my soldiers. We are going to assault Himeji Castle, and I would be honored if you could join us."

"As much as I would like to, I must stay here on Kyushu. We have unfinished business here..."

Hideyoshi laughed. "Of course! Be careful of the Shimazu in the south, and the Azai in the north. I know our paths will cross again." Hideyoshi said as he continued north out of the village, towards Himeji Castle.

Ashitaka, San, and their companions then traveled south, in order to find the medicine man of Kyushu. Ashitaka knew he would see Hideyoshi again...He turned towards San, and the two smiled at each other.


	7. The Spirit Realm Part 1

**Chapter 7 - The Spirit Realm Part 1**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka had a dream that night. The wolves were all around him, biting at his arms and legs. The pain in his arm grew stronger, prompting him to pull out the vial. However, a bite from the wolf caused him to drop it. The vial shattered into pieces. As the liqued sank into the ground, the pain in Ashitaka's arm grew even more intense. The wolves began to blend together into one creature. Ashitaka couldn't make out what it was, but fire soon erupted from the being. Wings grew on either side as it engulfed the hurting warrior. He let out a cry of pain, which woke San from her sleep.<p>

"Ashitaka?"

As San looked around, Ashitaka was gone. She got up and took another look at the area. Ashitaka's sword and bow were still where they were left, and Yakul was still sleeping , however, was nowhere to be seen.

Ashitaka found himself in the middle of a small village. He did not know how he ended up there, but the pain in his arm was gone. As he picked himself up, he took notice of the village. It was quiet. Ashitaka walked through the silent streets and found out why; bodies were strewn all over. There was no trace of blood, or any wounds on the bodies, which made Ashitaka question whether they were dead or not. He found a man lying in the middle of the street, holding a piece of paper. Ashitaka picked up the paper and began to read it.

San left Mori with Yakul and went to look for her companion. She was able to smell his scent, which led her to go south-west. She reached the edge of a forest and found broken branches. Following the branches, San began to find small traces of blood...this blood was black, and smelled very different from blood she was used to. It began to rain.

Ashitaka walked into a large house that seemingly belonged to the head of the village. Compared to the ragged and shady houses Ashitaka had encountered in the village, this one was very neat and proper. The sun shined through a large window, reflecting off of a metal sword. As Ashitaka walked into the main bedroom, he found a man standing in the middle of the room, facing away from Ashitaka.

The rain grew stronger as San reached the other end of the forest. She found a small village, but she quickly noticed that it was eerily quiet. As she walked along the streets, she saw no traces of life. The only sound she could hear was the heavy rain hitting the rooftops.

"What happened here?" Ashitaka questioned the man. He did not respond.

"Hey! Can you hear me?"

The man still did not respond, but he turned his attention towards Ashitaka. He had a plain expression on his face, but not like any other human Ashitaka has encountered before. Then, Ashitaka heard a voice:

"The forsaken shall pay."

Ashitaka knew the voice came in the direction of the man, but his lips did not move. Taking one step back, Ashitaka felt as if something else was in the room. A great light enveloped the room, and Ashitaka blacked out. It began to rain.

San made her way to a large and ornate house, and entered. She saw a rusty blade fixed on the wall of a room, and entered the main bedroom. There was nothing there. San exited the house and ran to the center of the empty village.

"Ashitaka!"

The rain fell even heavier, and the sky grew even darker. At that moment, San felt a shiver run down her spine. She could smell the scent of humans, a scent as strong as if one were right there next to her. She turned around, and saw spirits. They were all staring at her, piercing her soul. She looked back towards the ornate house and saw a glimpse of Ashitaka. When she blinked her eyes, the spirits vanished. The rain slowed down, and eventually stopped.

Ashitaka opened his eyes and was blinded by a blue light. When he regained vision, he saw the town he had just left. The only difference, however, was that it was very lively. Children were on the streets, people were walking and talking with each other, and merchants sold their wares. The man stood next to Ashitaka. He resembled that of a human more. Puzzled at what he was experiencing, Ashitaka asked,

"Where are we?"

The figure turned toward Ashitaka and responded, "We are in the empty village you had seen before. It used to be a peaceful place..."

Ashitaka said back, "So we are in the past?"

"Not exactly."

Ashitaka noticed a couple of children walk right past him. It seemed as if Ashitaka were not there.

"Do they not see me?" Ashitaka asked, turning toward the children.

"They choose not to," The man responded. "This is what the village looked like in the past, yes, but we are in the spirit realm. These are the souls of the people, unknowing of what had happened to them. They live on as if they were still alive. You cannot be seen by them because you are not part of this fascade."

Ashitaka looked around. The buildings were much more ornate than their real-world counterparts. Each building glistened red in the bright sun. A cool breeze crept up Ashitaka's spine.

"What happened to them? How did they die?"

The man paused for a moment. "The village was raided by a group known as the Forsaken. The Forsaken are a group of spirit warriors who feed off of torment. When the Forsaken killed the people of this village in the real world, the spirits of the villagers and the memory of the town appeared here, in the spirit realm. the villagers remain unaware of what happened to them, but..." Before the man could finish his sentance, the sky turned dark. To the west, Ashitaka could see fire. It was coming from a bright torch. A group of men on horseback were charging towards the village.

"They are here." The man said quietly. The Forsaken quickly entered the village, swinging at the helpless villagers. As each villager is hit, he or she turned into a cloud of dust which the Forsaken would inhale. The warriors charged towards Ashitaka and the man. Ashitaka began to draw his blade, but the man stopped him. Just as the Forsaken reached the two, they disappeared. A blue light shone bright, and Ashitaka found himself staring at the lively village again. The people were carrying on their chores just like before.

"These villagers experience a vicious cycle of perpetual torment. The Forsaken feed off of the torment they receive. The people have no memory of the events happening to them." The man said, staring into the sky.

Ashitaka turned towards the man. "What does this have to do with me? How can I stop it?"

"There is a way you can stop it, but it won't be easy. You must find the Forsaken in the real world, and succumb to them. You must make sure they kill you here in the village. You will be able to be seen by the other villagers, and the Forsaken Spirits will try to attack you. You must kill the warriors before they reset the cycle. This will return the spirits to their bodies, and break the cycle."

Ashitaka took a minute to respond. "I'll do it. But, how can I find the Forsaken?"

"You will encounter them on your journey. If you try to look for them, you will never succeed. It is time for you to return to the real world."

A white light began to shine. Ashitaka said quickly, "Wait! Who are you? What is your name?"

The man turned towards Ashitaka. "I am the keeper of the spirit world; I have no name. I see every being that dies pass by. We will meet again."

The light grew brighter. Ashitaka found himself laying in the middle of a room. It was the ornate house he had been in before. Everything looked as it did.

Walking outside, he saw San standing over the body holding the note. San turned to Ashitaka, and quickly ran to him. She gave him a big hug.

"Where have you been?" She asked. Then, while holding the note up, she asked, "What does this note mean?"

Ashitaka held the note he read earlier in his hands. "I now know what it means," Ashitaka said. He took the note and clenched it in his hands. "Come. We'll get Yakul and Mori and head south." He grabbed San's arm and the two of them left the village. Ashitaka dropped the note in the proccess. It slowly hit the ground, revealing the word written on the note: "Miyazaki".

The sun began to set as Ashitaka and San took off for the south. Guided by the mysterious note, the group soon found an abandoned village.

The village was empty - no signs life, or even death. Various crates were filled with rotten vegetables, caravans were turned over, and buildings had a sad look about them. Ashitaka found a sign left on the ground. Picking it up, he noticed what it said: "The town of Miyazaki". Turning towards the town square, Ashitaka noticed a flag with the Shimazu symbol on it.

While Ashitaka and San searched the village for anything useful, Mori heard a sound coming from one of the buildings. He quickly called San and Ashitaka over. Peering inside the building, they found an old man. He sat quietly in front of a black pot, surrounded by various herbs and other items used for alchemy.

"This must be the medicine man!" Ashitaka said with a glimpse of hope. The old man heard him and became startled. He was apparently sleeping.

"Wha-who are you!?" The old man asked quickly. He then noticed Ashitaka's tunic and the symbol of the Oda clan. "If you're here to protect this village from the Shimazu, you're too late. It's been gone for weeks. The survivors buried the dead and left for the north."

Ashitaka walked inside and sat down in front of the old man. "I am here because I need medicine, if you could help me."

The old man noticed Ashitaka's right arm, changing his countenance. "This is something I have seen only one other time...yes, with Ochita Yurei..." He said as he got up and searched his endless supply of herbs. "I'm afraid I don't have anything that can cure it, but I do have something that can prolong it. I'm sure you've been to the medicine man near Kii, correct? Your curse doesn't look like it has progressed as much as it could have."

Feeling a slight twitch in his arm, Ashitaka nodded.

"Well, what I'm going to give you will work much better! It comes from the dralio plant, found only at the peak of...uh, the name of the mountain escapes me. Curse my old age!" The old man said as he handed Ashitaka a jar filled with purple leaves.

"Here is what you do: You take one leaf and eat it. You do not need to take it daily, but whenever your arm begins to turn black. The curse will prolong for a few days at a time. And the best part, the dralio plant does not have such a bitter, disgusting taste!"

Although Ashitaka was glad this new medicine would taste better, he was still concerned that he couldn't find a cure. "Is there anything you know of that could help rid this curse? Could I not plead to the spirits for help?"

"If this were any other curse, that may work, but this curse is one that even spirits fear. It's effects on your mind, body, and soul...there is something..."

Before the old man could continue, a loud knock could be heard from outside, along with a loud voice:

"Old man! Are you in there? We come from Lord Adai, of the Shimazu clan! We have captured a wolf and an elk...do you have anyone in there with you?"

The old man quickly dropped down. "The Shimazu have come back...they will capture you and kill you! You must get out of here!"

The man outside then kicked the door down. He was big and burly, followed by a few other samurai. They seized the old man, Ashitaka, and San.

"So you think we haven't forgotten about you, eh?" The leader said, throwing the three onto the ground. "I was going to simply send you to our prison, but I feel like killing you right where you lay."

The old man pleaded, "Please! I only try to make a living here! I do no harm!"

As the leader drew his sword, Ashitaka drew his.

"Oh, so you with to die first?" The leader said, laughing. "We shall have a duel! Get ready!"

The other samurai pulled San and the old man to the side, leaving Ashitaka and the leader of the Shimazu in the center. Both had their blades drawn.

All was silent. Not even the fluttering of a bird could be heard. The leader ran towards Ashitaka and landed a great blow on his right arm. A great surge of pain errupted in Ashitaka, who fell to the ground.

"Already? This was much too easy; I thought you would be tougher than that."

As he spoke, Ashitaka pulled himself together and took a quick swipe with the Shibo. The color of Ashitaka's arm remained purple.

The two fought and dodged each other's attacks. Neither showed sign of fatigue. The other samurai cheered on for their leader, while San tried to edge Ashitaka on.

The leader stopped in his tracks and said, "This is too boring! I know how to get you riled up. Shikobi! Cut the girl!"

Ashitaka stopped and turned toward the samurai known as Shikobi. He pulled out a dagger and cut San's cheek. Blood poured out of the wound, and San screamed. Ashitaka became angered.

The color of Ashitaka's arm began to turn black. The color soon spread to his own cheek and right eye. The leader of the Shimazu noticed this and smiled. "Yes...let that anger take you over..." Ashitaka charged right for the leader, but he kicked a cloud of dust in the air, right into Ashitaka's eyes. After recovering his vision, he looked around but found no trace of any of the samurai, San, or the old man. Greatly in pain from his right arm, Ashitaka ate one of the dralio leaves. The pain in his arm quickly went away as the color turned purple. He then dropped to his knees, feeling as if he let San and the others down.

By this time, the sun had fully set, and darkness crept over the land.


	8. San's Story Part 2

**Chapter 8 - San's Story Part 2**

* * *

><p>San woke up in a moving wagon. Her hands and feet were bound by rope, and a piece of cloth was in her mouth. As she looked around, she saw the old man from the village, also bound and tied up. She could overhear some people talking:<p>

"Why do we need to round up these people?"

"It's to provoke the Tachibana clan into attacking us. If they do, we will be able to easily overpower them."

"How so?"

"Lord Yoshihiro told me so. We have traps placed around Shimazu castle. The only way in is..."

While listening to the Shimazu talk, San was able to loosen her hands from the rope. She took the cloth out of her mouth and removed the rope from her feet. She then proceded to untie the old man, but he said quietly, "Don't risk your life for an old soul like me. I'll be fine, but you must go to the Tachibana castle and warn them about the Shimazu's plans! It's to the northwest of here. Go, quickly!"

San nodded and quietly rolled out of the wagon. She landed softly and ran north. The sky became dark, leaving San with a limited view. She grew hungry and had to stop. She looked around for something to eat, and spotted a rabbit. It's white fur glistened in the moonlight, even as San quickly went for the kill. She prayed for the rabbit's spirit, and began her meal. Being raised by wolves, she was used to eating her food raw.

After eating, San decided to sleep until morning. She found a small nook at the base of a large tree, and slept there. Throughout the night, her only thoughts were about Mori, Yakul, and Ashitaka. San had never been alone like this; before, she had her mother and brothers by her side. With a slight tear, San finally drifted to sleep.

In the morning, two people, one man and one woman were walking in the forest near San's sleeping place.

"Sanji, wait up!"

"Don't worry, Kokuru, I'm right here. This forest isn't that hard to get through."

"Okay...wait, what is that?"

The girl known as Kokuru spotted San sleeping at the base of the tree. She took a few steps toward San and said, "I think it's a girl!"

The boy known as Sanji turned around and approached Kokuru. He looked at the tree, and changed his expression.

"Is she alive?" Sanji said as he approached San. He was about to place an arm on her when San suddenly woke up. Sanji let out a gasp as San quickly stood up. Sanji and Kokuru had a look of freight on their faces as San ran away.

"How weird..." Kokuru said, pulling Sanji along in the opposite direction.

San continued running as fast as she could before stopping at a small pond. She quickly washed her face and continued towards Tachibana castle. Before long, she managed to reach the outskirts of the castle. It was big and beautiful; San had not seen anything like it before. A passing guard noticed San's presence, and approached her.

"What is your business here?"

San stood quietly. Usually, Ashitaka would handle the business with the other humans. Since he wasn't there with her, she had to speak up.

"I am here to see the lord of this castle."

The guard scoffed at this. "Really? And with whom does your loyalty lie?"

San responded with one word, "Oda."

Hearing this, the guard gave out a big smile. "Fine, follow me."

The guard took San to the chamber of Muneshige Tachibana, the lord of the castle. He was talking with his wife, Ginchiyo, as San entered the room. He was surprised by San and how she looked, and turned his attention toward her.

"Welcome to Tachibana Castle. How may I help you?"

Before San could tell of her plight, another guard ran into the chamber.

"My lord! The Shimazu wish to meet us in battle! Here is a letter from Yoshihiro Shimazu! It states that if we do not make battle with them at the Shimazu castle, they will come here and attack us!"

Muneshige paused for a moment, and then responded, "We have been battling with the Shimazu for a while now...It's time to end it. Assemble our men. We attack tomorrow."

San then stepped in, "Lord Tachibana, this is why I have come. I escaped from some of the Shimazu soldiers, and they say that they have set traps for your men! They also spoke of a secret way into the castle."

Muneshige Tachibana turned towards San as Ginchiyo said, "Muneshige, how can we trust her?"

Lord Tachibana looked into San's eyes. They glistened with a fire that Tachibana knew marked a shed of truth. "I believe her," He said finally. "Please, tell me your name."

"My name is San," San responded.

"Well then, San, let us discuss our battle plans. You will come with us, right?"

"Of course. The Shimazu have captured my friends..."

San was given a room to sleep in for the night. She was not used to sleeping like a human, but she tried. Gazing out into the sky, San wished Ashitaka well, wherever he was.

"Don't worry. I'll get Yakul back to you soon." San said to herself. She clutched her dagger before falling fast asleep.

San woke up early in the monring, but other soldiers in the castle were already up and about. She wandered around Tachibana castle, and found a familiar person. It was Hideyoshi.

"It's you!" Hideyoshi said as he noticed San. "Where is your companion, Ashitaka?" He asked in a calm voice. Outside, a light rain began.

"I am not sure," San responded, "But, why are you here? I thought you were leaving for somewhere else..."

Hideyoshi paused for a moment, then gave a slight laugh. "I was getting ready to lead my soldiers out to Himeji, but I received a letter from Lord Tachibana. The situation on Kyushu is much worse than I thought, so I decided to take my army and make a clean sweep of the enemy establishments!"

San pretended she knew exactly what he said. All she cared about now was that he was here. San and Hideyoshi were given bread to eat, and eventually the Tachibana and Hideyoshi armies set out.

San was instructed to ride on a horse, something she was not used to. "I guess it'll be the same as riding Mori..." San quietly said. As the horse galloped along, San nearly fell off. After a few laughs from Hideyoshi, San managed to ride the horse perfectly.

The journey to the shimazu castle was not a long one, especially on horseback. The castle itself was very beautiful and large. It stood next to a lake, leaving a large reflection in the water. The sun was rising.

Ginchiyo Tachibana emerged from the army, katana in hand, and prepared herself for battle. She then turned toward San and said, "So, where are these traps you spoke of?"

San looked around. The fields in between San and the castle were clear and open.

"Right then!" Ginchiyo yelled, ready to charge. Her husband stopped her. "Wait!" He said, picking up a rock. He gave the rock to one of his soldiers and instructed him to throw it into the field. The soldier did so. All was silent.

When the rock hit the ground, a great explosion ensued. Everyone, including Ginchiyo, dropped to the ground. When the resulting smoke cleared up, a great hole remained where the rock had landed. Soon after the commotion, many men lined up along the walls of the Shimazu castle. They had bows in hand, ready to fire on Hideyoshi's army.

Hideyoshi quickly said, "Quick! Head to the secret entrance San told us about!"

The secret entrance to the castle was located in the forest next to the castle. It it was a small outpost. Guards watched over the outpost closely.

Hideyoshi got his generals together and said, "Okay, our plan of action is to..."

Before he could finish, San ran towards the Outpost. Ginchiyo started to chase after her, but Hideyoshi stopped her. "Let's see what she can do..." He said quietly.

San approached the outer wall of the outpost. The main doors closed as San approached, so she stopped there. She looked up and around, and eventually started walking back. Ginchiyo Tachibana began to scoff at San's "ability", but stopped short when San ran back towards the outpost. She jumped in the air and starting running up the wall of the outpost. She grabbed a pole jutting out from the wall, spun around it twice, and launched herself up to the top walkway. Two guards had noticed what was happening and ran to the wall. San quickly jumped over the guards and stabbed both of them in their backs. After they dropped, a few more guards headed towards San. She kicked one off of the wall and stabbed another. San soon reached the mechanism that opened the door, and cut the ropes.

The door to the outpost opened soon after, and Hideyoshi's army charged right in. There were only a few remaining guards left, so the ensuing battle did not take long. San made her way to the other side of the outpost, where the second door into the castle was. She opened the door, and the army made its way to the castle.

The door lead to a small winding canyon. On the other side of the canyon was another door, leading right into the courtyard of the castle. Hideyoshi commanded his army to stop there.

"My men, we are here for one reason only: to bring peace to Kyushu. The Shimazu are the biggest force we must fight against to make sure this happens...For Oda!"

"For Oda!" The army yelled back. They rushed into the Shimazu castle, and a long battle began.


	9. Ashitaka and the Shimazu

**Chapter 9 - Ashitaka and the Shimazu**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka wandered the land of Kyushu for hours, not sure of what he was to do. He had lost his companions and was unsure if they were still alive. The pain Ashitaka felt transcribed into the pain in his arm. The curse spread.<p>

He soon came across a small village. It was in the middle of the night, but most people were still outside. As Ashitaka walked the streets, people turned and stared - mostly at Ashitaka's right arm. Mothers protected their children, some began to cry, and men stood ready to defend their homes.

"Who is that?"

"He looks scary..."

"Is that a..."

Ashitaka did not care for the idle comments, and eventually found an outside noodle cart. He stopped by and asked for one bowl of noodles. The shopkeeper complied and quickly whipped up a batch for Ashitaka.

As he ate, more people began making comments about Ashitaka.

"Look at that!"

"Mononoke!"

Upon hearing this, Ashitaka stopped eating and turned to face the source of this word. He had only heard San called a mononoke, so hearing himself being called one was a great surprise.

It was a little girl, pointing directly at Ashitaka. Her mother came by and quickly brought the girl away.

"I knew it...a mononoke"

"It might kill us!"

The people of the village started to panic, thinking that Ashitaka had come to kill them. Before Ashitaka could plead his case, the villagers began to get angry.

"Get out of here, mononoke!"

"We don't want you here!"

One of the men walked right up towards Ashitaka, screaming in his face. Ashitaka wanted to turn and leave the village, but a feeling came up towards him. His right arm began to reach for the Shibo. Struggling, Ashitaka tried to keep himself from causing any harm. The man began to push Ashitaka, taunting him even more.

Enraged. Ashitaka's right arm pulled the Shibo right out and nearly sliced the man up. The man luckily backed off before he could get hurt. A great fire grew in Ashitaka's eyes, a fire that the people of the village associated with demonic beings. Ashitaka's right arm turned black.

Just then, a loud bang came from the east. The people turned their attention towards it, and saw a group of men on horseback coming straight for the village. Ashitaka calmed down and noticed the men as well.

"Forsaken..." Ashitaka said to himself. He pushed through the surrounding crowd and ran as fast as he could towards the Forsaken. Before they could meet. Ashitaka's right arm turned a different color - bright red - and then a portal opened up in between Ashitaka and the Forsaken. Both fell right into the portal, and disappeared from the village.

Ashitaka landed on his feet, but immediately noticed that he was in a different village. His arm changed back to the purple tint, and he looked around. He was in the village known as Miyazaki. The Forsaken were here too, but they were not surprised.

"Hago, we seem to have a demon among us." One of the men on horseback said.

"Yes...his soul will empower us greatly." Another one said.

The Forsaken then circled around Ashitaka, blades drawn. Ashitaka held his ground, but remembered what the keeper of the spirit world told him, and he dropped his guard.

Ashitaka had been wondering for along time what it was like to die, and here, he found out.

* * *

><p>The air had a mysterious feeling about it. The trees were still, the breeze was low, and the only sound heard was the footsteps of the Shimazu soldiers. They had been ready to fend off an attack against the enemy army that had tripped one of the traps.<p>

"Where did they go?" one soldier asked another.

"I'm not sure...you don't think they went through the secret path, do you?" The other responded.

"I doubt it. That path is extremely secret. Only the Shimazu know of it..."

"Maybe they are plotting..."

As the two soldiers pondered, a plethora of sounds came from one end of the castle. The two guards picked up their weapons and ran to the commotion.

The Tachibana-Hideyoshi army plowed through the secret entrance to the castle. Their arrival was so unexpected that they were able to easily infiltrate the castle grounds. San was in the middle of the pack, ready to find her brother Mori and Yakul.

In fact, their arrival was so unexpected that the Shimazu army did not fully realize that they were under attack until the army was right on top of them.

The castle was very large and complex, with large open fields in between various guard outposts. On the other side of the outposts was a large inner field, which contained one entrance into the castle. Hideyoshi and Tachibana split the army up in two to conquer the castle from the west and the south. San followed Hideyoshi's group, which moved to take over the southern fields.

The first task that had to be done was to open the southern outpost. Hideyoshi's army would be able to use it to move right into the inner walls of the castle. The gate, obviously, was closed, but that did not stop San from moving along. A bell rang from the outer wall, which was the bell of the Shimazu army. Both armies charged after one another and quickly lead to a great battle. During this, San and Hideyoshi moved towards the inner wall.

"Give me a boost," Hideyoshi said to San. She nodded and stood ready with her hands cupped in front of her. Hideyoshi backed up a few feet, then ran towards San. At the last second Hideyoshi jumped into San's hands, and San propelled him upwards to the top of the wall. San herself backed up from the wall, then ran and jumped onto a pole. She used the pole to vault up to the top.

Many soldiers were on top of the wall, ready to fight. San and Hideyoshi plowed through them one by one until they reached the gate mechanism. "Keep on the lookout while I open the gate!" Hideyoshi commanded to San, who stood on guard.

The gate slowly opened and Hideyoshi's army charged in, while some stayed behind in the outer field to take control of the area. San managed to hit a few more guards, then jumped down into the inner field. After regrouping with Hideyoshi, the two made their way to the gate into the castle. All of Shimazu's soldiers were alerted to the army's presence at this point, and kept the main gate heavily guarded. Larger and more buff soldiers appeared, which presented Hideyoshi's army with a challenge. San approached one of these guards slowly and carefully. He charged toward San with a large axe. San managed to dodge, but her counterattack did no damage. She realized that her weapon was not strong enough to best the soldier, so she kept dodging.

Tachibana's army went through the western outpost. It was more well-guarded than the southern outpost was, leaving Tachibana with a greater challenge. Both armies clashed swords with one another as Muneshige and Ginchiyo made their way towards the gate. While it was open, swarms of Shimazu made their way through to combat the threat. After killing one soldier with a bow, Muneshige used it to shoot the guard controlling the gate mechanism. With the gate staying open, the Tachibana army was able to move into the inner field as well.

With the main gate closed, Hideyoshi's army could not enter the main castle. Standing guard and defending against an onslaught of bow fire, one soldier came up with an idea. He made his way to the nearest firepit, lit a torch, and threw it into the wall. The wall burst into flames. Other soldiers lit torches and threw it into the wall as well, until the entire gate gave way.

The gate fell into a pile of scorched wood, leaving Hideyoshi's army ready to storm the castle. However, Hideyoshi stopped them from doing so.

"San and I will go, you all must stay out here in the inner field and protect our position. We will be back soon!" He said as he moved into the castle with San.

The inside of the castle was very elaborate and intricate. Designs on the walls were of dragons and other mythical creatures - even spirit wolves. San searched for the scent of her brother, which led her down to the dungeons. Along the way, many Shimazu soldiers appeared, but proved no match for both San and Hideyoshi. All San could think about at this point was her feelings for Ashitaka, and her desire to see him again.

Eventually, the two made it to the dungeon. There, many villagers were locked behind bars. San and Hideyoshi managed to break down the doors and let the prisoners out. In the back cell, Yakul, Mori, and the Medicine man were found. San opened the door and gave her brother a great hug.

"You came back for us..." The old man said with tears of joy.

San nodded to the man, and said, "Please, take Yakul and return to your village. I will return to pick him up. Yakul," She added, turning to Ashitaka's companion, "pleaes go with this man. He will keep you safe, and you will do the same for him." Yakul bowed his head, as if he understood exactly what San said, and left with the old man.

The prisoners emerged from the castle, followed by Hideyoshi. San also emerged, riding on the back of Mori. "Alright then!" Hideyoshi said to the prisoners, "Some of my men will escort you guys out of here, and to Miyazaki village!" He called for about twenty people to help take the prisoners to safety, and they all left.

The remaining members of Hideyoshi's army reunited with Tachibana's army. "We have won," Muneshige said.

"Not so fast,"

It was the voice of the Shimazu lord, Yoshihiro. He was accompanied by the men who kidnapped San, Yakul, Mori, and the old man. Yoshihiro carried a giant axe stained with victory, and had a smile of contempt.

"It's been a while, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Where is your friend, Mitsunari Ishida?" He asked sullenly. He then turned his attention towards Tachibana, and gave out a laugh.

"And you...Here for revenge, Muneshige Tachibana? I think it was your father that I have killed some years ago."

Muneshige gripped his sword, and then stepped towards the Shimazu lord.

"I will kill you now, you..." Muneshige was not able to finish his sentence before Yoshihiro Shimazu readied his axe and took a giant swipe. Tachibana jumped back, then pulled out his own sword. The two fought and fought. No one man could best the other. Back and forth the two men swayed. After Yoshihiro brought his axe down, he managed to get it stuck in the earth. Muneshige used the opportunity to press the blade up to his rival's neck.

"I respect your ability," the Shimazu lord said. "Kill me now, and restore honor for your father."

Muneshige hesitated for a second, and then removed his sword. "Killing you will not restore anything," Muneshige said quietly. Yoshihiro laughed at this, then stood back up.

"How about a truce?" Yoshihiro said towards Hideyoshi. "We can talk about negotiations for both of our clans."

Hideyoshi agreed, and the two debated for hours. At the end, the Shimazu have agreed to join Oda's conquest to unify all of Japan. Both armies rejoiced and celebrated, but quickly regrouped to move on to their next conquest.

During the move out of Shimazu castle, Hideyoshi approached San. "I become even more impressed by your style every day. You are a great aquisition to Oda's army." He said. "I will be returning to Honshu and to Oda. I would be pleased if you came with me."

"I would love to, but I have to find Ashitaka first." San said lowly.

Hearing this, Hideyoshi smiled and laughed. "Of course!" I'm afraid I will be returning north and east, but I'm sure we'll cross paths again."

San smiled, then moved out with Mori.

The two eventually reached Miyazaki village, where the old man was waiting. Ashitaka was nowhere to be found. The old man invited San to some food, which she took.

"Where do you think he is?" The old man asked San after she finished.

"...I think I know." San said, almost to herself. After eating, she took Yakul and Mori and returned to the village where Ashitaka first disappeared.


	10. The Spirit Realm Part 2

**Chapter 10 - The Spirit Realm Part 2**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka opened his eyes. He found himself back in the village. Looking at his arm, it was a red tint. There were many people walking around, and it was as lively as Ashitaka had seen it before. There was one big difference, however.<p>

A small ball landed near Ashitaka's feet. A little girl walked up to the ball and picked it up. Afterwards, the child looked at Ashitaka and said, "Who are you, mister? I've never seen you here before..."

Ashitaka was shocked that the girl could see him, and realized what had happened. When the Forsaken killed Ashitaka in the village, Ashitaka's soul was added to the collection. He thought to himself, I'm dead now...

Before he could say anything, the little girl's mother called for her, and she left. Remembering what was going to happen soon, Ashitaka ran towards the town square. He stood on top of a box and addressed the crowd.

"Attention! I have some bad news! Your village is going to be attacked by a group known as the Forsaken!"

The villagers looked at Ashitaka as if he were crazy, and moved on their way. No one listened to Ashitaka's words. Right at that moment, Ashitaka saw the Forsaken moving towards the village. They were all riding horses and carried large weapons. When they reached the village, it was too late. They killed every soul in sight, including Ashitaka. A bright light came from the Forsaken.

After the bright light went away, Ashitaka found himself back where he started. The village was carrying on as it was before, unknowing of their fate. Ashitaka ran back to the town square, but he then ran to the entrance of town. After taking a step outside, he saw a great ocean of darkness. There was nothing outside of the village. Ashitaka gripped the wall before falling into the endless abyss. After getting back inside the village, the Forsaken attacked again.

It was Ashitaka's third time returning to the same spot. He felt much weaker than before, as if his energy was being drained. Ashitaka returned to the town square for the third time. He spotted a group of burly men and tried to get their attention.

"This village is going to be attacked! You must help me!" Ashitaka pleaded to the men, but they scoffed. "This village as been at peace for many years!" One of the men said. They all then continued on their way. The Forsworn came back again.

Frustrated at what was happening, Ashitaka made his way back to the town square. Instead of trying to get the people to reason with him, he stood his guard and took out his bow. The villagers were curious as to what he was doing, but Ashitaka did not budge. The Forsaken emerged once again. Before they could reach the village entrance, Ashitaka let out an arrow. It hit one of the Forsaken right off of his horse. The Forsaken had become confused at what happened, and stopped as soon as they reached the village entrance.

"You think you can change fate?" The leader of the Forsaken boasted. Ashitaka put his bow away and took out his blade. Meanwhile, the villagers noticed what was happening and prepared to fight. The Forsaken had always been taking the village by surprise, which prevented the villagers from defending themselves. This time, it was different.

A bell rang in the distance, and the women and children ran to safety. Most of the men appeared with swords and other weapons, ready to protect their village. The Forsaken laughed at the sight.

"Well, I we did need a change in formula. This will be much more interesting." The leader said in a sly manner.

The Forsaken then charged towards the militia. Blades crossed and souls were attacked. Ashitaka himself faced against the leader, but he was no match. The leader made Ashitaka drop to his knees. He then pressed his blade to Ashitaka's neck, and the bright light came back.

This was the fifth time Ashitaka returned to the bright village. Returning to the town square again, Ashitaka looked at his surroundings, and found a place to launch an attack.

The Forsaken eventually returned to the village, expecting Ashitaka to be there waiting. When they entered the village, they were ready to fight. Upon not seeing Ashitaka, the leader became confused.

"I thought he would keep trying to face us directly...he gave up much sooner than I thought..."

Suddenly, an arrow flew and hit one of the Forsaken members, killing him. The villagers at this point have noticed the Forsaken again, and the bell rang. The Forsaken members stood their ground and tried to find out where the arrow came from. The leader looked up at one of the tall buildings near the square, and saw Ashitaka.

Ashitaka jumped off of the building towards the Forsaken leader. The leader did not expect this, and fell off of his horse. Ashitaka came crashing down, with his blade out, and struck the leader right in the heart. The leader's body crumbled to dust, leaving nothing behind. The militia managed to defeat the other Forsaken members, who have lost morale due to the death of their leader.

With the threat gone, the villagers all cheered. Another bright light appeared, but it felt different than the previous lights. It was a blue tint and felt very warm. After it went away, Ashitaka found himself in the village again. His arm returned to the purple tint, signifying that he was indeed back in the real world.

The village looked much different now than it was before. It looked more ornate and decorative, and the villagers returned to their normal selves. Returning to the town square, Ashitaka noticed something new.

There was a statue placed at the center of the square, and it looked just like Ashitaka. Just as Ashitaka was amazed at it, the villagers took notice of Ashitaka.

"He has returned! Our savior has returned! The one who fended off those warriors!"

Many of the villagers moved to where Ashitaka was located, cheering and applauding.

The mayor emerged from the crowd and approached Ashitaka.

"We have not seen you since the day you saved us. I think it was about two years now..."

Ashitaka became confused at this. He knew that he just returned from saving the village, so he wondered why the villagers think two years have passed.

The crowd eventually dispersed and went on with their daily chores. Only one person remained, and it was the man who first brought Ashitaka into the spirit realm.

"You have done a fine job, Ashitaka," the man said.

"Perhaps you could explain what happened here? I'm not entirely sure..." Ashitaka said quietly. The man gestured at Ashitaka to go with him. They walked around to the open fields outside of the village.

"The spirit realm is a very confusing place," The man started. "The more you question how it works, the more you will lose yourself. But, I will tell you all I can."

"Basically, there are three types of beings: mortals, souls, and spirits. Mortals are beings in the real world, obviously. They die and become souls in the spirit world. Spirits are immortal beings that can travel between both the real and spirit worlds. When you were given your curse, you inherited the demon's ability to travel between both worlds. Let us go to the Spirit realm, and I will tell you more."

The man gestured to Ashitaka's arm, but Ashitaka did not know what he meant. The man then stated, "You can freely travel to the spirit world whenever you want. The only thing is, you will return from the spirit world at the exact moment you left. When you freed the village, they all returned to the moment they left: two years ago. You returned to this present time."

After Ashitaka understood what happened, he raised his arm. It began to turn red, and a portal opened up in front of the two men. The man gestured to Ashitaka to walk inside, and he did.

Ashitaka and the man appeared in front of a large building, with a river running under a bridge leading to the building.

"This is the spirit world," The man said, "The spirit world is made up of infinitely many planes. Most of the planes are known as epochs, or the places where souls go after they die in the real world. Other areas are common areas, where spirits gather. This is one of those areas, known as the bath house."

"A bath house?" Ashitaka asked. "Why would spirits need a bath house?"

"Spirits need to relax after traveling through infinite planes...and because many spirits tend to smell badly."

Ashitaka looked around, then back to the man. "Did you say people who die will end up here? Can I see them?"

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "It is not that easy. Epochs are divided into eras, spanning infinitely across mortal time. Souls can visit any epoch, but cannot visit the common areas, while Spirits cannot enter any epoch. You, since you are at the moment a spirit and a soul, can visit any epoch except your one you will enter when you die. You just can't. You will be able to visit it when you die in the real world, sadly."

"Also, time in the spirit world does not flow the same. It can either take on its own time, like the village you saved, take on no time, or flow concurrently with mortal time, starting with a fixed point. Take this bath house, for example. The year here is...2001, and it flows concurrently with the real world at the year 2001. That being said, you, Ashitaka, cannot time travel using the spirit world. If you return to the real world, you will always return to the moment you left, with few exceptions."

Ashitaka was dazzled with everything he was hearing. He didn't want to stay here any longer, and asked if he could leave.

"I do appreciate what you are doing, but I would like to return to my own time now."

"It's understandable. You can have some time to think about everything. But, I know I will see you here again."

Before he left, Ashitaka saw a girl in the distance near the bath house. She had a ponytail and a pink outfit on. Ashitaka returned to the real world before he could catch a better glimpse.

Appearing back outside the village, Ashitaka sat down on the ground and rested for a moment. Feeling overwhelmed by the information he had received, he fell into a deep sleep.


	11. Dark World Battles

**Chapter 11 - Dark World Battles**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka awoke to a familiar voice. It sounded soothing, as if it could bring him back from the harsh reality he had been experiencing. It sounded...like San.<p>

He quickly sat up and looked in all directions. On the horizon, Ashitaka saw San running in his direction. Yakul and Mori were right behind her. He gave out a great laugh, and then ran towards them.

As soon as the two reached each other, Ashitaka and San embraced. He held her as tight as he could, and she buried her head in his chest. A slight breeze blew over the two, and the sun emerged from behind the clouds.

"It's felt like forever since I have last seen you..." San said quietly. She looked up at him, with eyes glistening in the light.

They spent hours telling each other of their adventures. After being amazed by Ashitaka's journey, she asked him, "What do we do now?"

Ashitaka looked up to the sky, as if searching for an answer. As he did so, he felt a trickle in his right arm.

"We return north, to Honshu. I have a feeling that this war will get worse. The biggest battles are yet to come."

San gave a quiet nod, and the group departed for the north. As they left, the surrounding grass blew lightly against the breeze. All seemed calm.

The next day, Ashitaka's group arrived at Kitakyushu, the same village they first arrived to on Kyushu. On the way into the village, San heard a grunting noise towards the west. It sounded similar to a noise she had heard before...that of boars. However, San paid no mind to the noise and continued onward.

Upon approaching the docks, Ashitaka asked a worker when the next boat would arrive.

"I'm sorry...there won't be any boats for the next week," the worker said with a sad look on his face.

"Why not? Is there something wrong?" Ashitaka asked quickly. He had a bad feeling in his stomach.

"Well you see...the past three ships to arrive on our docks were destroyed, and everyone on them killed. We still do not know what is causing this, so ships have stopped coming in until the problem is fixed..."

The group stood quiet. The only audible sound was the watter rippling against the wooden dock. The moon shone brightly, reflecting off of the water. Ashitaka did not pay any attention to the light, but after a second glance, he noticed that the moon looked red in the water.

"How often has this been happening?" He asked solemnly.

The worker replied, "Every night for the past week or so..."

Just then, a loud screech pierced the air. Covering her ears, San looked up, and held her gaze. A figure descended onto the group. Its claws tore into the worker before quickly grabbing San and running off to the west. It happened so fast that Ashitaka could not tell what the figure was, but he immediately chased after it.

"Yakul, Mori, stay here!" Ashitaka panted.

In the forest, The figure kept a straight path, as if it could phase right through the bushes and trees. San's screaming echoed off of the trees. As Ashitaka led on, he could see small traces of blood on the trees and on the ground. His increasing anger led to arm pains, which just made him angrier. He kept running, hoping that San was not dead. Her screams assured him that she wasn't.

Ashitaka chased the figure into a small clearing. The trees blocked the moonlight, making the figure indistinguishable. This did not matter, however, as the figure turned toward Ashitaka, san still screaming and trying to escape its grip. It tore through the air, which caused a portal to rip open right in front of the both of them, and jumped inside. San's screams ceased.

Screaming loudly, Ashitaka ran to where the figure stood. There was nothing there except a small pool of blood.

"This must be a spirit..." he said quietly, with his head down. Without hesitation, he held his right arm outward as it turned a redish black. Soon, another portal opened up right in front of the warrior. Ashitaka gripped his sword and stepped inside.

Ashitaka opened his eyes, and found himself in a small field. There were many strange buildings in the background...buildings that Ashitaka had never seen before. Bright lights came out of small holes on the buildings. It was dark, yet Ashitaka could make out two shadows that were sitting on some sort of object.

(Of course, bring from his own time, Ashitaka did not know that the buildings he was looking at were skyscrapers, and that the object the two people were sitting on was a bench.)

He attempted to walk past the bench and move towards the buildings. As he passed the bench, however, he felt something hit his feet. He went to pick it up as one of the figures sitting on the bench approached him. It was a little girl, wearing nice clothing and had a smile on her face.

"Can I have that back, please?" She said to Ashitaka.

Ashitaka took a look at the object. It was red, felt like metal, and there was something inside of it. As he shook it, something flew into the air. Catching it, Ashitaka was holding what looked like candy. The little girl motioned to get Ashitaka to eat it. It tasted like grapes.

He handed back the container, and the girl gave him a bow before returning to the bench. A man was the other figure seated there. As the girl sat down, the man nodded to Ashitaka and said "Thank you."

Before he could respond, a bright light shone around Ashitaka. It quickly turned to darkness, leaving Ashitaka alone with another figure. It was the same man who introduced Ashitaka to the Spirit World.

"Ah, I see you've managed to visit an Epoch," The man said.

"But I know why you're really here...you are here to find your companion. San, correct?"

Ashitaka hesitated for a second. "Yes. Where can I find her!?" His voice grew impatient, as if he had spent many hours in the Spirit World already.

The man looked around, as if he were able to see something in the darkness that Ashitaka could not. After a few seconds, he turned his attention back towards Ashitaka.

"The spirit you encountered was a Mononoke, or at least that's what you mortals would call it. Here, he has no name, but he does have a purpose..."

Ashitaka hesitated for a second, then asked, "What is his purpose?"

"To feed."

Ashitaka snapped. "Tell me where San is!"

After another look around, the man responded. "It's not a matter of where she is. She is right here. The matter, however, is when she is. The mononoke took her into the past...actually, it would be the future from where we are now."

Before Ashitaka could show his confusion, the man continued. "She is located in a time before your own, yet in a time after the one we are in right now."

"How do I get to her, then!?"

"Your powers allow you to travel between your own time and the spirit world, yes? You simply use it to travel to the desired location in the realm. Simply feel her presence, and your power will do the rest. Go on." The man motioned to Ashitaka's arm, which Ashitaka raised soon after.

He closed his eyes and tried to feel San's presence. As he did so, the pain in his arm increased dramatically. He could see visions of many spirits and souls, all across the Sprit Realm. Eventually, he found San.

Ashitaka quickly opened his eyes. In front of him lay another portal, similar to the one he used to enter the realm. He took a look at the man, who then walked right into the portal. Ashitaka did the same.

The two ended up in another plane of the Spirit Realm. The two were on the side of a mountain, with a great village down at the bottom. From what Ashitaka could see, San was nowhere to be found.

"What happened? I saw San, so why is she not here?" Ashitaka asked, feeling dizzy from his power.

"This power requires a great deal of energy, at a potential much greater than a mortal has. Spirits can use it easily because, well, they are immortal beings with immense spiritual power." The man said. "It also requires much focus. Try again...and if you fail, I will take us to her location."

"Why can't you take us there right now!? Enough of these games!" Ashitaka was starting to get impatient.

"You need to learn how to master these powers." The old man said. "I have seen your fate...and I have seen the great struggles you will face. This power is a necessary part of your future. Get used to it now."

Ashitaka sat down on the grass, closed his eyes, and tried again. He found San much quicker than before, meaning that he was at least close enough to her.

After opening his eyes, he saw yet another portal. The two stepped in this one.

As soon as Ashitaka stepped through, he fell straight down. Apparently he created the portal a few feet higher than the ground. The man floated gently down to the ground.

Ashitaka looked around. He was in a large cave, with blood and bones all over the place. There were dismal drawings on the wall, all showing a strangely shaped figure...the mononoke.

"I think this is the place." He said, although he was not proud that he found it.

A roar came from the southern part of the cave, followed by the scream of a girl. Ashitaka knew that it was San. He pulled out his sword and ran towards the noise.

The man stopped him. "I highly doubt your sword will do any damage against this mononoke. Not all spirits can be killed through mortal tools. There is another way, however..."

Ashitaka stood for a moment, put his sword away, then listened to what the man had to say.

* * *

><p>The cave was filled with the sounds of dripping water, and in the distance San's screams could be heard. Ashitaka stood quietly as the old man told him the secret to killing the mononoke. Soon after he finished, the two ran towards San's voice.<p>

After running around a corner, Ashitaka faced three demonic were green, scaly creatures with wings. Each one had bloodshot eyes and sharp claws. Their teeth were yellow and sharp as well. Without hesitation, the three charged towards retaliation, Ashitaka drew his sword and took a swipe at the closest fell to the floor, but almost immediately rose back up. There was no indication that it was hurt from Ashitaka's sword.

At this point, the old man caught up to Ashitka. "Run!" He said, pulling on Ashitaka's tunic. The two ran past the demons and down the corridor. The demons may have been super strong, but they were not fast. The two managed to outrun the demons easily.

"What were those? My sword didn't hurt it at all..." Ashitaka said, panting.

"I told you - swords cannot kill these creatures. I already told you the only effective way."

With that, Ashitaka sheathed his sword and they continued moving.

Soon enough, Ashitaka and the old man reached the heart of the cave. They knew this was the place because they found San and the mononoke in this room. She was on the ground, next to a pile of the walls, more of the demon creatures lay, all attempting to move in and take San for themselves. The mononoke circled around San, hitting any demons that attempted to get closer. Only San noticed Ashitaka's presence, but stayed silent so she would not attract attention. She had a scared look on her face, unlike anything Ashitaka has ever seen her have.

This enraged Ashitaka. He started to walk calmly towards the mononoke, his arm turning black in color. As he did so, the mononoke and the demons all took notice. San attempted to get Ashitaka to stop, but he kept moving. The old man sat quietly, knowing exactly what Ashitaka was about to do.

The demons all started screeching and jumped towards Ashitaka. As they approached, Ashitaka raised his right arm. It turned a dark yellow, and streams of tentacle-like objects shot out of his arm. Each tentacle shot right into a demon, piercing its heart. After a few seconds, the tentacles receded, with the demons falling down dead. Ashitaka's arm turned black again as he drew closer to the mononoke.

The mononoke, however, was not impressed nor intimidated by Ashitaka's power; in fact, most demons possess this ability. Instead, the mononoke charged forward like a bull. Both Ashitaka and the mononoke raised their arms and gave out a punch. When they connected, the room shook violently. The old man, meanwhile, made his way towards San and helped get her to a safe corner of the room.

Ashitaka's rage made his curse grow, which in turn made him stronger. The two began brawling, breaking rocks all over the place. Despite Ashitaka's strength, the mononoke was much bigger in size. It picked Ashitaka up by his head and flung him into the wall. The force actually caused Ashitaka to break through the rock wall and into an adjacent room.

Picking himself up, Ashitaka maintained a distance from the mononoke, who just now entered the adjacent room. The mononoke's right arm began to glow a faint yellow, and many barbs emerged from the dark surface of its arm, effectively making it a club. Ashitaka saw this, and sprang into action. He darted toward the mononoke's left arm and jumped on. The mononoke paid no attention to what was going on, only interested in killing his foe. The mononoke raised its right arm and brought it down on Ashitaka. At the last second, Ashitaka jumped off and the mononoke crashed right on its left arm. The impact was so big that the mononoke managed to slice its own arm right off.

Seeing what happened, Ashitaka remembered what the old man told him earlier:

"Demons are the product of spirits possessing creatures, and can be killed through mortal means. This is why you were able to kill the various demons you encountered. However, pure spirits and mononoke cannot be killed through mortal means. They can only be harmed by their own kind. Therefore, if you want to really do damage to this mononoke, you must get it to hurt itself. Your demon powers are exactly that - demon powers, not full powers of this world, and you cannot harm it on the outside. If you are able to get inside the demon, perhaps through a cut that it gave itself, you can most certainly kill it."

Ashitaka's arm turned yellow once again, and the tentacles shot out. He directed them towards the freshly cut arm of the mononoke and made its way up into the brain and heart. The mononoke screamed and thrashed about at this time, but eventually collapsed. Ashitaka pulled out both the brain and heart of the mononoke, ultimately killing it in the process.

"Ashitaka!"

San ran into the room and gave Ashitaka a hug. "I need to stop getting myself into trouble..." She said quietly. Ashitaka held her tight. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"

Both turned towards the old man, who also entered the room. "Killing spirits is not an easy feat, especially for a mortal. Powers or not. I'm impressed." The old man said.

Ashitaka remembered what the old man said earlier. "...I'm...a demon?"

"...I'm afraid that you are. The curse that runs through your body is the same that ran through the being that gave you it. In time, you will be fully possessed by the spirit." The old man replied. This left a grave expression on Ashitaka's face.

"Tell me, is there a way to remove the curse?"

"It is not easy, but it can be done."

"Please tell me how!"

"...As I have stated, demons are created when a spirit inflicts a curse on a creature, which eventually grows through the hatred of that creature. This demon can then spread the curse into other beings. If you kill the original spirit, the curse will break, and all creatures affected by the curse will be cured. The being that cursed you was just a demon, since you were able to kill it, so the spirit is still alive somewhere."

"...Then I just have to find it, right?" Ashitaka had a look of hope on his face.

"It's not that easy. Remember...the spirit world spans infinite realms. You may not be able to find it that easily. If you were able to make a connection to it, like you did with San, you could find it that way...however, you need to make contact with the original spirit for this to happen, which you have not yet done. I can tell you that you may be able to find answers in your world. Spirits visit from time to time, so maybe a trace of the demon was left somewhere."

"...Thank you." Ashitaka hesitated to say. With this, he opened up a portal and returned with San to the real world.


	12. Return to Honshu

**Chapter 12 - Return to Honshu**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka and San returned to the real world. It was still night, and they were still in the forest. Both made their way back to the place the mononoke first struck.<p>

Upon returning to Yakul and Mori, Ashitaka and San saw that the other villagers had begun to surround the dead body of the man that the mononoke killed. They knew of the monster that was attacking the ships, and deduced that it was the creature that killed the man.

"What do we do?"

"What if it comes back!?"

Ashitaka made his way to the center of the crowd.

"Do not worry; I have killed the spirit that was attacking this town," He said out loud.

One man stepped out from the crowd. "And do you have any proof of this?" He asked.

Ashitaka hesitated for a second.

"I knew it! For all we know, you and your wolf here probably killed -"

Before he could finish, Ashitaka pulled out the heart and brain of the mononoke and threw it onto the ground. It had a nasty odor, similar to the odor of the demon boar Ashitaka had encountered three years ago. The crowd gasped and stepped back from the bloody items. It wasn't long before the heart and brain dissolved into two puddles of blood. The man who had accused Ashitaka fell silent, and stepped back into the crowd.

"Now then," Ashitaka continued, "My companions and I wish to return to Honshu...is anyone willing to help us?"

After a few moments, the same man stepped back into the center.

"I was going to take my fishing boat out in the morning. I could give you a ride back to Honshu if you'd like. And even better, I'll let you stay at my place for the night."

Ashitaka nodded, and the crowd dissolved. It was getting late, and everyone, especially Ashitaka and San, wanted to get some rest.

The man led them to his small hut near the docks. "It's not much, but it's the least I could do. Forgive my rudeness earlier." He said humbly.

After a small, quiet dinner, Ashitaka and San departed straight for bed. "What a day..." Ashitaka said.

"Even more than today...this whole adventure...I never expected to leave the forest." San replied. "It's scary, being out in the world. I know I can always return to where I came from, but it doesn't feel like I have the option."

Ashitaka knew exactly what she meant. He then thought of his home village. He wondered how they were all doing ever since Ashitaka was exiled.

"We must always keep going." Ashitaka said. "The only way to change the world is to do it."

With that, both fell soundly asleep.

In the morning, Ashitaka and San departed the hut to board the man's fishing boat.

"We might get cramped with your animal companions, but we should manage."

"Thank you," San said, "I appreciate your kindness." Ashitaka was a little surprised at this. San, thanking a human? He knew she had changed since he first met her, and he believed it was for the better.

The day was sunny and bright. The rays of the sun bounced off of the waves, making the water glisten in the morning air. All was good.

Eventually, the fishing boat reached the shores of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Ashitaka and San thanked the man once again, and set off towards the east.

It had felt like such a long time since Ashitaka and San were on this land, and it seemed like nothing much had changed. The countryside was vast and open, and the sky was clear and blue. It was a good day.

While passing through a small village, Ashitaka overheard a couple of villagers talking.

"Did you hear about the war?"

"No, what happened? Did Nobunaga lose?"

"They're actually gaining in strength. Nobunaga managed to conquer a lot of western territory. Hideyoshi is leading an army into Hojo territory as we speak!"

As Ashitaka heard this, he almost fell off of Yakul. Hojo was the daimyo of the land where his former village was located. As great of an ally Hideyoshi would be for Ashitaka, he was about to attack his homeland! Ashitaka didn't know what to think, but he did not say a word.

After passing through the village, San gave a look at Ashitaka.

"Something's troubling you...what is it?" She asked.

"Those men back there, they said Hideyoshi was going to conquer Hojo territory...that's where my childhood village is located! What if they..." Ashitaka started to become conflicted. "That's where we have to go!"

As Ashitaka said this, San noticed a change overcoming him. She could see the curse spreading little by little. She was surprised he didn't change and become angry. He had run out of the medicine to keep the curse from spreading. They didn't have much time left.

"Ashitaka..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Ashitaka darted off towards the east. San told Mori to catch up to him. They had a long journey, as Hojo territory was located on the eastern side of Japan, and they were on the western side. Regardless, Ashitaka had to at least talk to Hideyoshi before he struck. What if he battle spread to Ashitaka's village? Ashitaka respects Hideyoshi, and therefore can at least try to convince him to do this so the village wouldn't be hurt. The more he thought on this, the more his arm would hurt him. It flickered black from time to time, which drove him crazier.

San, meanwhile, did her best to keep up. As the sun set, a red dusk began to settle on the land.

It is a sunny day. The western plains are quiet. The only sounds that could be heard are the rustling of the blades of grass in the calm wind. There are small animals and insects all across the land. The only thing disturbing this peaceful scene is Ashitaka and Yakul racing towards the east, towards Ashitaka's home village. San and Mori are right behind them.

"Ashitaka, Wait!" San called out. Ashitaka did not respond. He was too focused on what could happen. The curse that ran through him slowly continued to spread. Even Yakul, as loyal as he was to his master, soon grew tired of galloping such a great distance. He eventually stopped and rested.

Ashitaka, filled with fury, was still sane enough to understand the hardships of his animal friend. He soon calmed down as San caught up to him.

"You need to not work Yakul so hard," She said. The wind began to pick up.

Before Ashitaka could respond, he heard the sound of a blowing horn in the distance. He looked to the north, and saw many men on horseback. It wasn't long until Ashitaka and San were surrounded by soldiers. Ashitaka gripped his blade, just in case.

"Hold your hand," One of the soldiers called out. He was dressed in heavy armor, and carried a large scythe in one hand. Ashitaka returned his hand to his side.

"We are here to capture any suspicious characters," The man continued. "If you'll come with us, there will be no harm done."

Ashitaka had no time for this. He wanted to unleash his demon power and be on his way to save his own village. However, he knew this was not a rational idea, so he complied.

"Very well," Ashitaka said calmly.

Ashitaka and San were led to a small camp, filled with hundreds of soldiers. Many were preparing for some kind of battle. Ashitaka was wary, as he did not know the loyalties of these people. The man brought them to a small cage-like area.

"You can't imprison us!" San spoke out. "We did nothing wrong!"

"We can't fully trust you," The man said, "I'm sorry, but it has to be this way."

"Wait!"

Everyone turned to the new voice. It was Dumai! Upon seeing him, Ashitaka's face lit up.

"Don't worry, Kato," Dumai said, "They are on our side. They support Lord Oda."

Kato nodded, then turned towards Ashitaka, "I apologize for this. My name is Kiyomasa Kato." He gave a great bow.

"It's okay," Ashitaka responded, then turned towards Dumai. "Is Hideyoshi here?"

"I'm afraid he's not," Dumai said, "He's currently in Hojo territory with Hanbei Takenaka of the Saito Clan."

"I have to stop him! My village..." Ashitaka said lightly.

"Well, if you want to find him, you can. First, you should meet Lord Oda." Dumai said, then gestured towards the large tent in the middle of the camp. Ashitaka and San walked in.

The tent was very extravagant. It was similar to the tent Lord Hideyoshi had, but much more regal. In the center, a man sat, holding his blade in one hand, and a cup of tea in another.

"Lord Oda," Dumai said, "There is someone I would like you to meet. These are the people Hideyoshi was talking about before."

Lord Oda got up, placed his tea down, and turned towards Ashitaka. "So you are the ones who helped with the Spirit Wolves," Oda said. "Your talent is very impressive. I am glad you are fighting for our cause...you do plan to join us, correct?"

Ashitaka hesitated for a moment. "Lord Oda, it is an honor to meet you. However, Hideyoshi is currently on his way to attack Hojo territory...my former village is in Hojo territory..."

Oda took a step towards Ashitaka and put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand your concern, but you should not worry. If anything, the Hojo clan will be the ones destroying villages. Our cause is the unification of these lands, not the conquering of them. We only fight the enemy; we do not kill or abuse the unarmed. The is the vision I see - through the bloodshed lies peace. If you do not believe me, you are free to join Hideyoshi. You can make sure your village is not destroyed, and you can help us secure Odawara."

Ashitaka paused for a moment, then eventually nodded.

"Great!" Oda exclaimed. "We were going to send reinforcements tomorrow. You can travel with them. Dumai and Kato will be traveling as well."

"What about you, Lord Oda?" Ashitaka said in response.

"I will be taking another group right into Kyoto to challenge the Ashikaga clan. May you find victory and honor in battle." Oda said as Ashitaka, San, and Dumai left the tent. Kato stayed behind.

"Lord Oda," Kato started, "Who will be assisting you at Kyoto?"

Oda responded, "Mitsuhide will accompany me. He is one of my most loyal generals, besides Hideyoshi."

Meanwhile, Dumai showed Ashitaka and San to another tent. "You can stay here until tomorrow. If you need anything, let any of us know."

"Thank you," San said. She had been quiet for most of the time they had spent at the camp, which Ashitaka found a little strange.

After Dumai left, Ashitaka turned to San. "Is there something wrong, San?"

San said nothing, but instead stared into the sky. There was a heavy wind blowing through the camp. "It's nothing..." San said. "Let's just get ready for tomorrow."

The sun began to set on the camp. The men were eating, talking, laughing, and preparing to give their lives for their leader. Ashitaka soon began to think if he wanted to give his life for Oda as well.


	13. San's Story Part 3

**Chapter 26 - San's Story Part 3**

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><p>As dawn broke, San was already up. She was wandering around the camp, looking for a place to train. San felt like it's been a while since she had actually been in a battle. Before long, she found a small area with a few large logs staged to be used as training dummies.<p>

She brought out her daggers and began chipping away at the logs. Each hit made her think of everything that had happened to her and Ashitaka ever since they left the forest. Each of these memories filled her with rage. After one last hit, she heard a voice from behind:

"Getting some early training in, I see..."

This startled San. Upon turing around, she was surprised to see it was Lord Oda. San gave him a look, as if she were ready to attack if needed.

"I see you do not trust me fully..." Oda started. He sat down on one of the logs and motioned for San to join him. She did not move. Oda chuckled slightly.

"Based on your outfit, fighting style, and the wolf you brought here with you...you lived in the wild. I'm guessing in the forests. Growing up, you developed a hatred of humans and a devotion to the forest you grew up in. If anyone threatened your home, you would retaliate. I respect that. A large devotion to your idea of home. We are a lot alike in this sense."

San did not move, but she pondered on what Oda said.

Oda continued, "...I believe that the current state of these lands is a mess. All of the fighting, all of the factions...my home is threatened by a conflict of interest. In order to protect my home, I must take charge and show them all that unification is the way it should be. You can see how this is similar to your position, am I correct?"

San stared at the ground. She understood what Oda was trying to say, even if it meant comparing herself to a normal human.

Oda then said, "But anyway, that is irrelevant. Fate brought you and your friend here with us, and I am asking that you help us see our vision come to life." He then looked at San's daggers, noticing how worn out they were getting. "I can provide you with new daggers if you want. They'll suit you much better." Oda led San to a weapon tent. It was filled with lots of katanas, spears, and armor. He led her to a small box in the back of the tent. It was jewelled and heavy.

"These daggers were won in a battle out in the west. They come from a far away land, far away from the islands we call our home."

After opening the box, San marveled at the beauty of the daggers. They were also jewelled, with snow white blades that curved slightly at the end.

"...I..." San started.

"Oh, so you do speak!" Oda said jokingly. "Don't worry, I won't miss them. There are greater treasures to be won." San humbly picked up the daggers. They felt very light to hold. "...Thank you..." She said softly.

"Whatever fate you meet, I hope you carry yourself well." Oda said. As both walked out of the tent, a horn sounded. All of the men began to get up and get ready to head out.

"Well, this is where we must part. You will go with your friend to the east, while I meet my own destiny on the battlefields here. Good luck to you." Oda said strongly as he turned and walked away. San returned to the logs she was practicing at earlier, and took one last swipe with a dagger. The log was sliced clean in half. San gave a little smile, then returned to her own tent.

Ashitaka had just finished getting ready when San walked in. She noticed the state of his arm; it was getting much worse. She did not know how long it would be until what the medicine man said would happen. Ashitaka noticed San and gave a smile. "Up already?"

San simply smiled back. Ashitaka and San exited the tent. It was a new day, and Ashitaka was going to return to familiar territory. He knew he was banished from the village, but he just couldn't resist returning to see what had happened in the time he was gone. The soldiers were all up and about in preparations for the journey they were about to undergo.

"Ah, you're finally awake," Dumai said as he saw Ashitaka and San walk by. "Are you ready for the journey? It will be long, and we may have to fight on the way. Are you up for it?"

Ashitaka gave a nod.

"Good. I see you haven't changed since the battle at Kii." Dumai laughed for a second.

Kato and Oda emerged from Oda's tent. Both were holding scrolls that contained battle plans and orders. Each turned to the other and bowed, then went off in separate directions.

"Men!" Kato started. "Everyone who is coming with me into Hojo territory, we leave immediately!" Hundreds of men took off to the east. Ashitaka, San, and Dumai did the same.

The land was very familiar to Ashitaka. It was gentle, peaceful, and reminded him of his journey to Iron town and meeting San. He patted Yakul and turned to look at San. She was riding Mori while whispering something in his ear. Ashitaka was in a very good mood. Suddenly, he felt a pain in his arm and chest. His curse was spreading, and it was very visible on his cheek now. He didn't know how much longer he had until he would start to lose himself. He didn't forget his other mission. The demon was out there somewhere, and he must kill it in order to remove the curse.

Dumai pulled up on a horse, beside Ashitaka. "You feeling okay? I can see your scar is getting worse..." He said quietly.

"How much longer until we get there?" Ashitaka asked in a tone that did not sound like a question.

"I can see you don't want to talk about it...in a few days, we should just be entering Hojo territory. We will set up camp if we have to at night." Dumai said.

San, meanwhile, could not stop looking at her new weapons. They were very beautiful and could cut really well. She appreciated Oda for giving them to her. As she was moving along, an arrow brushed right past her face. She gasped and looked up.

It was an ambush! Men poured out from the trees, pouncing on the traveling band of soldiers. Kato screamed for his men to get ready, and a battle ensued.

Ashitaka pulled out his sword and took swipes at the enemies that came toward him. They all fell easily. Ashitaka had forgotten what it was like to face other humans, due to the time spent in the spirit world. Dumai killed a few soldiers as well, decapitating several with his own blade.

Kato swung wildly with his spear. Dozens of soldiers flew back at every swipe.

San used this opportunity to test her new blades on these soldiers. She stood on Mori's back as he charged forward. She lept off and spun around in the air, dropping her hands down to catch the enemy soldiers right on the neck. She landed on her feet and ducked to avoid an enemy sword. She retaliated by stabbing the man in his side, then spun around again to attack the other soldiers surrounding her. Mori himself attacked a few enemy soldiers in the proccess.

Before long, the enemies were fleeing. "Escape!" Various callings and sounds to escape could be heard as the men ran into the forest. Kato's army cheered, having won that unofficial battle. They continued on, aware of the potential threat on their people. Only a few were lost in the battle, which was a very good thing.

As night approached, Ashitaka passed by a very familiar sight - the river where he first saw San and her mother Moro. He knew they were close to Iron Town. He looked at San, who knew as well. However, they kept moving on, as they knew where they had to be. San felt great to be near the forest where she grew up, yet she knew that fighting in this battle would help make sure this forest would stay preserved, and she had faith in the people of Iron Town to keep up the restoration that they were in the proccess of doing. With that, the army pressed on.

A camp was set up once Kato determined that the location was safe enough. The men were too tired to carry on conversations, or even set up tents properly. Everyone fell asleep as quickly as they could. Ashitaka had a dream about Iron Town and the night San attacked by herself.

In the morning, everyone packed up quickly and kept on their way. There was no time to be wasted as they were needed in order to take the Hojo capital. A few more days and nights passed like this before the army made it into Hojo territory. Ashitaka felt a familiar presence as he got closer to his old village.

In a few hours, Ashitaka knew exactly where he was, and he broke from the rest of the men. Kato called out to Ashitaka, ordering him to return. San looked at Kato and then ran off to catch Ashitaka. Ashitaka, meanwhile, couldn't stop thinking about what he would find once he got to his village. He passed the giant hill where the boar was slain all those years ago, and as he made it to the top...


	14. The Beast Within

**Chapter 14 - The Beast Within**

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><p>Nothing.<p>

There...was nothing. The village Ashitaka grew up in, the place he once called his home, was gone. All that remained of the once beautiful village was rubble. Buildings were broken, fields were scorched, and there was no sign of life anywhere.

"Ashitaka!"

San caught up to her friend to find him standing alone, with his head down. She tried to place a hand on his shoulder, but he stepped forward. She could see the purple tint on his arm change to a deep black.

Ashitaka did nothing else but let out a large scream. It pierced the skies and bounced off of the trees. Several birds escaped the area in response. The warrior then proceeded to run off into the wilderness; away from San, away from everything. She did not try to follow him.

The army soon caught up to San.

"Where is he going?" Dumai asked the girl.

"I don't know...but, he needs his space..." She said quietly. She remembered what would happen if the curse were to spread too far...and she feared that the moment would be coming soon.

Ashitaka ran as fast as he could. He didn't know where he was going, just that he keep moving. He was not surprised that his speed increased dramatically - this was most likely due to the curse. Ashitaka had no emotion; his soul was completely ripped out of his body. As he continued, the warrior could feel his grip on his sanity loosen.

"No..." He thought to himself as his body acted on its own. Then, it was dark.

The army continued on. Kato, Dumai, and San led the group. Mori and Yakul were not far behind.

Dumai shrugged. "I don't know what's got his hair in a bunch..."

"The village we passed was his." San replied. "He grew up there. And now, it's gone..."

"Well, that's what happens in war." Dumai said neutrally. "People die, places are destroyed, and one side defeats the other. The only thing we can do is make sure we are the ones who win."

San remained quiet. Sato spoke up.

"Enough talk. We're almost at Hideyoshi's camp."

Soon enough, a small camp could be found, slightly north of where Ashitaka's village once stood. Tents were all lined up and men were busy feasting, talking, or training. The sounds of blades echoed in the air.

Kato, Dumai, and San approached the center tent - Hideyoshi's. Inside, the warrior was drinking jasmine tea.

"Ah, you've arrived!" He said happily to his commrade. They bowed to each other. Hideyoshi then looked at San.

"I remember you! It's good to see you're okay. And fighting with us!"

San nodded. She's been around humans without Ashitaka with her, but she stil felt pretty awkward in this situation.

Kato broke the tension. "Where are we striking first?"

"There's a small Hoji castle to the east of here. If we can take it, then we'll have some place to rest while we look at the capital."

"Excuse me." San interrupted.

"Yes? What can I do for you?" Hideyoshi piped.

"Does your invasion plan...involve destroying villages along the way?"

Hideyoshi was confused. "What are you talking about?"

San cleared her throat. "I mean...did you attack the village to the south of here?" Her voice was more stern this time.

Hideyoshi hesitated. He also cleared his throat to speak...

Ashitaka stopped running. This was because he couldn't go any further. He reached a large wooden wall. Ashitaka calmed down a bit and walked around the perimeter of this wall, in order to find a way in. He did.

The inside of this place was built like a fortress. There were men stationed all over the place, but since it was now night time, Ashitaka snuck past them. It was when he approached the center structure that he was caught.

"Hey! What are you doing here!?"

Ashitaka stopped. A soldier behind him pointed a spear towards the warrior.

"Turn around!"

Ashitaka did not move.

"Did you hear me? I said turn around!"

The black color of Ashitaka's arm turned a dense yellow. A moment later, a tentacle pierced the soldier's neck. Ashitaka continued walking.

The inner structure was fairly regal. The walls were draped with pictures of many different paintings of landscapes and people. The soldiers were placed outside, leaving the inside completely empty. Ashitaka continued walking...or rather, the being that inhabited Ashitaka's body continued walking. He could hear laughing coming from an inner chamber.

"...Oh, stop it you!" The voice of a female could be heard. A gruff male's voice could be heard in response. Ashitaka couldn't make out what he said, and he didn't care. He walked right into the room.

The female screamed and hid behind a table. The male stood up and pulled his katana out.

"What do you think you're doing in here!" He yelled at Ashitaka. Ashitaka didn't respond.

"Are you deaf? Get the hell out of here!"

He didn't move. The male took several steps forward and touched his blade right against Ashitaka's heart. The female was cowering in the corner now.

"If you don't get out of here, I'll kill you right on the spot! If you don't like that, I'll get my soldiers in here to rip you to shreds!"

Ashitaka opened his eyes and stared at the man. He sounded tough, yet Ashitaka could see the fear in his eyes. The man noticed Ashitaka's arm, yet he wanted to protect his woman. Ashitaka understood that...it didn't stop Ashitaka from doing what he did.

In one motion, Ashitaka raised his right arm and yanked the katana right out of the man's hands. He stepped back in complete shock as Ashitaka aimed it at the man's neck.

"Guards! Help!" He screamed.

"You told them to leave us alone for the night!" The female peeped from the corner.

A tear formed in the man's eye. "Listen, do you want money? I'll give you whatever you want! What about the girl? You like her?"

It seemed like hours passed before Ashitaka finally spoke up.

"There's a small village south-west of here. Did you attack it?"

"What?"

"DID. YOU. ATTACK. IT!?"

"No! We don't attack villages in Hojo territory!"

That was all Ashitaka needed. He spoke again.

"I want to kill the ones who did. And I want you to help me."


	15. The Siege of Odawara

**Chapter 15 - The Siege of Odawara**

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><p>Another man walked into Hideyoshi's tent. He was fairly portly and was decorated in heavy armor. His face was gruff, yet he had the kindest expression one could have. He held a giant spear, which he placed down on the floor before bowing to Hideyoshi.<p>

"Ah, Tokugawa. You are here!"

The man known as Tokugawa bowed.

"I hope my army can assist you in whatever way they can."

Hideyoshi turned to the others in the room. "Please, rest yourselves and prepare. Tomorrow, we attack."

The male stood in shock at Ashitaka. "...Fine. I'll help you. What is it? Who attacked your village?"

Ashitaka stood for a moment. He wanted to not say; he knew it was Hideyoshi's army, but he didn't want to alert these people about their presence. However, the being that possessed him spoke.

"Hideyoshi. He has an army coming to attack the Hojo Clan."

The male was even more shocked at this. "...I am Hojo! We...we have to prepare!" Hojo looked to his wife before turning back to Ashitaka.

"You...thank you. We would have surely been caught off guard if they attacked without us knowing!"

Ashitaka was split. On one side, he hated Hideyoshi for destroying his home village. He wasn't even sure if the people he knew were still alive. On the other, he wanted to remain loyal to Hideyoshi...and San. Again, the beast within him moved on its own. Hojo walked out of the room as his wife finally left the corner. Ashitaka followed the older man out into the courtyard.

At this point, Ashitaka realized that Hojo would find the soldier that Ashitaka had killed. He thought of what to do if Hojo found out that he killed him...he wanted a way to quickly get rid of the body.

In what seemed like a response to Ashitaka's thoughts, his arm changed from a black color to a dark green. A bright green light flashed, and time stood still. Ashitaka was shocked as he saw Hojo stand in place, mid-walk. He moved around to find that his movement was normal. With no hesitation, he exited the building.

Soldiers outside were all frozen in place as well. Ashitaka took this time to look at the castle he was in. It was very large and beautiful. It was definitely an important place in the Hojo land. Ashitaka thought back to his time at his village. He did remember a castle located a day's walk away from it. He realized his loyalties to Hojo, but they immediately conflicted with his loyalties to Hideyoshi, and his feelings for San...

Snapping back to reality, Ashitaka picked up the body and carried it outside. He made it to a small bay. He threw the body into the ocean and turned back to the castle. On his way back, he noticed a sign pointing to the location of the castle.

"Odawara..."

San spent the night in a small tent. She was too worried about Ashitaka to sleep. In the middle of the night, she got up and left the tent.

She walked near the outskirts of the camp before finding her brother sleeping. When she walked by, his ears propped up.

"What are you doing still up?" He asked in a groggy voice.

"I can't sleep." She stated.

"Ashitaka?"

San nodded.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Let's just worry about helping this Hideyoshi person win his battle."

A cool breeze blew past the two.

"It's just..." San sighed.

"What?"

"...I'm not used to...being around with people without Ashitaka with me." She said.

"You attacked Iron Town without Ashitaka before. That counts, right?"

"No, I mean actually communicating with them...Being one of them." She trailed off.

"You're not one of them." Mori stated. "Rather, you are much more than them. You have their appearance, but you have the heart of a spirit wolf. You're special."

San smiled. "I guess so."

"You're letting this human thing go to your head."

San nodded and laughed, then returned to her tent.

"Good night, Mori."

The wolf simply nodded before returning to sleep.

Dawn crept over the land. The air was still, as if waiting for the first blood to spill. Ashitaka had followed Hojo around and saw him command his guards to get ready. They weren't going down without a fight.

Ashitaka wanted to personally kill every soldier who took part in burning his village down. He didn't care who...he would kill Hideyoshi himself if he had to.

Hojo turned towards the man who just tried to kill him. "I'm not sure if I can trust you...will you swear your loyalty to the Hojo clan?"

Ashitaka bowed. "Yes."

In his mind, Ashitaka was fighting as hard as he could to regain control of his body. Everything was black. Ashitaka was the only one in the area...except for another figure. It took the form of a phoenix...a red and black phoenix. Ashitaka and the phoenix stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

The phoenix was the first to speak.

"You've done a great job resisting thus far...but now, I am in control."

Ashitaka tried to take a step forward, but he couldn't.

"What are you?" Was all he could say.

"They call me a Seishin. A demon who feeds on souls. My power spreads through demonic contact. That's how you contracted it; when you were attacked by that dragon."

Ashitaka remembered that night. The night that changed his life.

"I've been feeding on your soul ever since then. I grow stronger every day because of you. Soon, you will be completely consumed. First...you can watch as you end up killing your friends and break your loyalties."

"No!" Ashitaka yeleld back. He tried to take a step, but this time it hurt him. He fell to the ground. He could see a vision...it was of him.

Hideyoshi's soldiers approached Odawara Castle carefully. San followed Dumai to the middle rank. She grasped her blades as she crouched.

The battle plan was simple: Hideyoshi's army would take the eastern side, while Tokugawa's would take the western. Other clans had joined Oda's conquest...One such clan was the Shimazu, who San had fought earlier. She didn't talk to them after realizing they had joined Hideyoshi, but was relatively surprised they had been converted. She then thought of that actual battle...and of Ashitaka. The Wolf Princess looked to Hideyoshi, who gave a nod in return.

The soldiers moved out. They soon surrounded the castle and prepared for the assault. Kato was in the front lines as he noticed something strange...the Hoji forces were all armed and ready. It was as if they were expecting an attack.

Kato made his way back to Hideyoshi.

"What is your report?" The leader asked Kato.

"...They are defending. They know we're coming."

Hideyoshi was confused at this. He then put it all together.

"...Ashitaka." He said calmly.

"The warrior?"

Hideyoshi nodded.

"Did you attack that village?" San asked. Hideyoshi cleared his throught before he spoke.

"Yes. When we got there, the Hojo forces had already been using it as a base camp. There were no civilians there at all; they had been forced to move north. We took the village by surprise and destroyed it. That is all."

An arrow flew. A soldier on the Odawara wall had been struck and had fallen. The battle had begun.

Hideyoshi's archers loaded their bows and shot. Several Hojo had fallen. The melee warriors approached the castle and began to tear away at the sturdy doors. They managed to break in after a few minutes.

Warriors flodded the castle. Steel met steel, blade met skin. Many fell on both sides.

By the time San had entered the castle, it was already an all-out war. She took note of how vast the castle was. She could see smoke rising on the far side - Tokugawa had broken in as well.

Two soldiers came running towards San. She pulled out her blades and, in one swipe, managed to slit both of their throats. Blood spurted out as they both fell to the ground. Some of it had gotten on San's clothing. She continued on.

Mori was close behind her. He managed to take a hold of a soldier's entire head in his mouth. The two complimented each other like two sides of a blade.

Even though the Hoji were prepared for battle, their forces simply could not match the power and heart of Hideyoshi's army. The Hojo were pushed back into another part of the castle as many more men fell.

San made it to the inner castle gates. She was with Dumai now, who had killed three soldiers with one swipe of a blade. The castle was designed in a regal way: It was divided into an outer region and an inner region. Inside still was the main building, where the head of the Hojo clan lay in wait. The outer castle was more like a fortress, while the inner castle contained trees and smal gardens. Hideyoshi's army made it to the inner castle while Tokugawa still pushed the outer.

Inside, San ran towards a soldier and sweeped the leg. The soldier fell as San stabbed him in the throat. She continued on as Dumai killed another soldier. Archers were lined all along the inner castle walls, trying to get a clear shot at San. She managed to run up the side of the inner wall and reach the archers.

With one duck, she managed to get two archers to kill each other. They both fell off the wall as San ran to a third. He shot and missed; San stabbed him in the gut and kicked him over the wall. Making her way to the southern side, she found a door mechanism to open the gate in between the outer and inner castle on that side. She did so after knocking an archer off of the wall. Another portion of the army made its way inside.

The Wolf Queen descended the wall and rejoined Dumai. He killed another soldier before leading some men towards the elegant inner structure. Fire arrows were being used now as the trees in the inner castle burned.

A soldier hit San from behind with the blunt end of a katana. She looked up as she fell. The soldier was about to go in for the kill before a blade pierced his chest. It was Dumai. He held out a hand for San.

"Thanks."

Dumai nodded, then turned to face another soldier. San made her way to the inner structure when she saw a figure running towards men from Hideyoshi's army. In a flash, the men were all killed. Upon getting a closer look, she knew exactly who it was.

The true battle was only beginning.

"Ashitaka!"

San called out to her friend. She knew it was Ashitaka, but he seemed...different. He had the black tint that she was familiar with, but there was something off about him. Surrounding the both of them was death and destruction. However, it felt as if time had stood still.

Ashitaka looked at San for a moment before pointing his blade at her. This immediately prompted San to pull her weapons out. Ashitaka rushed towards her.

Metal hit metal. San didn't move. A blur had moved in front of her to block Ashitaka's blow. It was Dumai! He looked at Ashitaka in rage.

"What are you doing? Did you alert the Hojo!?"

Ashitaka said nothing. Instead, he quickly knocked Dumai aside and stabbed him in the shoulder. Dumai fell. Just as Ashitaka was about to deliver the final blow, San tackled him and knocked the sword away.

"What are you doing!?" She stared right into his eyes and understood. They were not Ashitaka's eyes...instead, they were two pools of darkness. The curse had already gotten worse. Ashitaka knocked San off of him and reached for his sword.

In his mind, Ashitaka was struggling to gain control. Seishin began to fly around the empty void, mocking Ashitaka.

"You cannot resist."

"San!" Ashitaka called. Obviously, his body did not say the same.

"It's funny how humans have such weak energy levels." Seishin mused. "If you had just a bit more, this battle would be over."

"Ashitaka!" San called. "You don't have to do this! I know you're still in there!"

Ashitaka did not respond. Instead, he lunged towards San, blade in hand. She managed to dodge his attacks as she lured him into the inner structure. The battle by this point was nearly won. Hojo was surrounded; Hideyoshi's forces charged through the inner castle. Tokugawa's army secured the outer. The battle would be won soon.

San was too busy fighting her friend to notice the intricate design of the inner structure. She managed to leap over a table to avoid another slice of Ashitaka's blade.

"Ashitaka!" San called out. She could see him struggling, yet he still managed to keep assaulting her.

The fight spilled out into a large room. Ashitaka swung at San again and missed; she knocked a table over and fell onto the floor. Ashitaka stood over her, ready to strike. San managed to sweep his leg and make him fall. As she stood up, Ashitaka took his free hand and slapped her right across the face. She fell.

Ashitaka witnessed his body do this. Seishin laughed as Ashitaka witnessed himself about to kill his friend, his...

"No!" Ashitaka was able to get up and tackle the phoenix spirit. In doing so, Ashitaka snapped back to reality.

Ashitaka's arm returned to the purple tint as he fell to the ground. San, not caring that he attacked her, ran right over to his body and held him in her arms. Ashitaka was unconscious.

As she lay there, Hideyoshi entered the room. He saw Ashitaka, hesitated for a moment, and continued through the rooms. San knew he went to go face the master of the clan, but she didn't care. All she cared about was that Ashitaka was okay.

Eventually, he woke up. "s...San..." He said softly.

"Don't speak."

"I'm...sorry." He said as he passed out again. San began to cry.

The battle had been won. Hideyoshi entered the room where Hojo had fled to and forced him to submit. The castle was conquered, and Oda's campaign had moved another step forward. The survivors were rounded up and taken as prisoners, including the Hojo family. It was a good day.

Hideyoshi decreed that the Hojo family be exiled, and they were. Meanwhile, the two generals met again after the battle.

"Tokugawa, I cannot thank you enough." Hideyoshi said to his ally.

"Anything to help Lord Oda's cause." Tokugawa said gruffly.

"In return," Hideyoshi continued. "I will give this land to you. You now control the Hojo territory. Both men bowed to each other.

"The war is long from over." Tokugawa stated. Hideyoshi nodded.

Ashitaka woke up in a small room. He deduced that he was still in the castle. San was by his side; she was with him the entire time.

When he woke up, San gave him another hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!"  
>She said with tears in her eys. Ashitaka remained silent.<p>

San let go. "What's wrong?"

"...I hurt you..."

"It's okay...you were under that demon's control."

"No, it's not okay!" Ashitaka yelled. San flinched.

"I could have killed you...I almost cost Hideyoshi the war! I let my rage get the better of me...and I don't know if I can snap out of it next time..."

"Remember what I told you? No matter what, I'm going to be with you. We can solve this together."

Ashitaka was silent. Another man entered the room. When San turned to see who it was, she smiled.

"Dumai! You're okay!"

Dumai laughed. "Ashitaka, your aim is horrible!" San and Dumai laughed, but Ashitaka did not.

"I'm sorry...I understand if you don't forgive me."

Dumai shook his head. "Don't worry about it! Important thing is we won! Hojo land has been conquered!"

"This was my home...my village was destroyed by Hideyoshi..."

San placed a hand on Ashitaka's shoulder. "Hideyoshi did do it...but he said it was already converted to a base camp by the time they got there. The villagers had to move north."

Ashitaka looked up. "Are you sure about that?"

San nodded. "I could tell that Hideyoshi was telling the truth. I believe in him and his cause, do you?"

Coming from the girl that almost destroyed a village to protect her forest, Ashtiaka knew she was right. He nodded.

"That means...we have to go north!"

Dumai spoke up. "You might want to hold off on that until Oda's conquest is done. We might need you in the future..."

Ashitaka was much happier now. "I will do whatever I can to keep my loyalties to Oda and Hideyoshi."

"That's the spirit!" Dumai exclaimed. Ashitaka laughed, but it hurt him to do so. The curse spread across his face; if it wasn't noticeable before, it would surely turn some heads now.

The laughter quickly died down as Ashitaka fell back onto the futon he was placed in. In his mind, he was on constant lookout for the pheonix spirit...he would die before it took his body over again.

"So, what now?" San asked Dumai. He shrugged. "Hideyoshi is going to head back west to meet up with Oda. The battles are far from over."

San nodded, then turned back to Ashitaka. He was passed out by this point, obviously from the extreme stress he had been in the past few days. "We will go when he is ready." She said.


	16. Retribution

**Chapter 16 - Retribution**

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><p>The next day, Hideyoshi's forces prepared to return west. Tokugawa was given the castle and the land, and he would continue to supervise it for Lord Oda. It was a wet morning; rain had fallen all night and through the early hours of the day. It was still pouring when the army set off.<p>

Ashitaka and San rode their respective beast companions alongside the army. Ashitaka was still mad at himself for being so weak...and almost hurting San. He knew that demon was still in him, and if he were to slip too far again, that he may never be able to come back.

San, meanwhile, wanted to do her best to help calm Ashitaka down. She knew Ashitaka was going through a lot, and she wanted to be there for him. Always.

"Ashitaka..."

The warrior didn't respond, he kept riding along on Yakul. The wind blew in San's hair as she put her head down.

The journey west was a silent one. The army would stop a few times to rest and whatnot, but Ashitaka and San rarely spoke. It was only when he needed something that he asked her, and it was usually quick.

It was when the army stumbled upon an enemy camp that things began to pick up. Hideyoshi couldn't tell who the clan was, but he knew they were against Oda. How could he know? They had a torn banner from Oda's clan. There were probably going to march south into Kii, or even right into Oda's home territory.

Kato approached the thinking warleader. "Do we attack?" He asked clearly.

Hideyoshi nodded. "Can't take any chances. Tonight."

Kato nodded in response and turned back to their own camp.

As soon as dusk approached, the soldiers in Hideyoshi's army got ready for an ambush. They were lucky that the enemy clan didn't send scouts, or they could have been caught. They used this to their advantage. With a quick nod, Hideyoshi charged into the camp.

Swords hit flesh. Metal hit metal. The enemies were taken completely by surprise. San and Ashitaka each managed to get one good kill (Ashitaka's arm did not turn black during the battle at all.) as the army quickly overcame their surprised foe.

A few minutes in, no enemy was left. Hideyoshi commanded his men to gather the bodies and take the supplies.

While surveying one of the tents, Dumai found a pile of scrolls. He opened them to see a list of battle plans. Yes, they were definitely planning on attacking Oda's forces. However, he also noticed that other forces were aiding in the attack as well.

The warrior quickly found Hideyoshi and showed him the information. Ashitaka walked by just as this transaction happened and watched. Hideyoshi had a stern look on his face before dropping his arms.

"No time to waste! We keep going!" He shouted to his men. They all shouted back and prepared to continue west.

The journey went on for hours and hours. Ashitaka and San both fell asleep on their animals at one point, although Ashitaka woke up soon after. Whenever he would close his eyes, the demon was all he could see. He still hated himself for what happened.

San would look over to Ashitka every so often, wondering what was going on in his head. She frowned.

Before long, the army reached a very large camp. The land was relatively flat except for one large hill on the southern side of the camp. "We're here," Hideyoshi said to Ashitaka.

Hideyoshi, Ashitaka, Kato, and San made their way to Lord Oda's tent. He was inside, polishing his blade.

"Excuse us," Hideyoshi said as they all bowed. Oda told them to rise.

"The east?" The lord asked.

"Tokugawa is in control of the lands." Hideyoshi said. "I gave it to him in return for his support in taking Odawara."

Oda nodded. "We are close. I can feel it. There are only a few outliers in our way now..."

"And we will follow you right to the last man." Hideyoshi said. Oda laughed.

"But for now, we relax! Odawara is captured, as is Yakami Castle. Tomorrow, we head west, to Kyoto."

The rest of the day was filled with food, light conversation, and small sparring sessions. San and Dumai had practiced, with San winning. Dumai had made the mistake of not watching his legs, which San showed by sweeping him and knocking him to the ground.

As she helped her friend up, she asked, "Where is Ashitaka?"

Dumai dusted himself off. "I think he's up on the hill."

"Thank you."

San made her way up the hill. Mori was following her, but she beckoned him away.

"I need to talk to him alone."

Ashitaka was sitting cross-styled on top of the hill, overlooking the landscape south of the camp. It was very beautiful: rolling hills, a small river, and a peacefully blowing wind. San decided to sit next to him.

"Ashitaka..."

"I hurt you."

"You didn't! I am okay now!"

Ashitaka turned his head. "I can't let that happen again. I won't."

"Do you remember when we first met?"

This threw Ashitaka off for a moment. "It was in that river, and you were helping your mother."

"Yes. At that time, I hated you and the other people for what they were doing. But now, I've come to realize the role we all play in this world. Nature is needed to keep man humble, and man is needed to keep nature adapting...well, I have adapted, and it's because of you."

San moved in closer. Ashitaka didn't flinch.

"Ashitaka...I..."

"No."

The warrior stood up. "You cannot love me...a monster. A demon. I will only destroy. I don't want you to be there when it happens. I know it will." Even in the night sky, San could see the purple tint on Ashitaka's skin creep ever so slowly across his face.

"But-"

"I'm sorry." Ashitaka said as he walked off the hill, leaving San there alone. Tears formed in her eyes, before she hit the ground with her fist. The moon was blue and reflected off of San's tears.

Ashitaka walked into the camp and passed by one man he had never seen before. The man stopped Ashitaka.

"Hey, come here."

Ashitaka turned and saw a young man dressed in his armor. He had an expression on his face that Ashitaka didn't trust.

"I've heard about you. Did quite well at Odawara." The man said.

"Thank you, but I was only a small part of the battle."

"Don't be so modest. Ah, where are my manners? I am Akechi Mitsuhide."

Mitsuhide. Ashitaka put that name into his memory.

"I will expect to see more of you in the upcoming battles." Mitsuhide said as he began to walk away, leaving Ashitaka alone in the dark.

He made his way to his own tent and began to rest. His arm began hurting again, something that hadn't happened in a while. Ashitaka suffered much pain, but none as intense as this was right now. He drifted off to sleep...

Ashitaka found himself in a dark room. With him. The Seishin. It still looked like a phoenix, with flaming wings and black feathers. The look in its eyes were not natural. Ashitaka held his sword, ready to fight the foe.

"What do you think you can do with that?" The Seishin said as it laughed.

Ashitaka took the plunge. He leaped forward and gave one great swing, but the Seishin dodged. It flew up into the air before swooping back down. Ashitaka ducked and barely escaped the Seishin's dark beak.

The warrior rolled forward, turning to face the Seishin as it flew back up in the air. Ashitaka looked on, waiting for it to fly back down.

"Right here."

The Seishin appeared right behind Ashitaka and stabbed him through the chest. Blood gushed out as the warrior fell to the floor in defeat. The room went white and Ashitaka's head spun in circles.

Soon it all faded away, and Ashitaka found himself alive and well. He still clutched his sword and faced the Seishin.

"The best part about this is that you keep trying. I do have to respect that." it said grimly. "Care to try again?"

Ashitaka fought and fought, losing and dying each time. It was a never ending cycle, representing the torment he had gone through ever since he was bitten. It seemed so long ago that Ashitaka couldn't remember if it was in a different life.

After being knocked down again, Ashitaka looked down on himself. He saw the black covering his right arm. At this point, it had spread to his chest, neck, and part of his face. The pain was so intense that he couldn't think straight, but Ashitaka stood up again.

The Seishin laughed. "Yes...get up. Give in."

At that moment, Ashitaka saw a white figure in the distance, behind the Seishin. It was blurry at first, but it made Ashitaka feel warm. Upon closer inspection, he could tell it was a woman...San.

Ashitaka's eyes widened as he thought of her. The girl he met after leaving his village...the girl he...

Ashitaka gripped his sword and lunged at the Seishin again. "I do commend you for trying, but even you must realize that this is futile!" It barked as it teleported once again. Ashitaka realized this before it happened and prepared to strike.

When the Seishin re-emerged, Ashitaka immediately stabbed it through the heart. He let out a cry as the Seishin gasped for air.

"How..."

The phoenix-like demon fell to the ground as Ashitaka pulled his sword out. He looked back to where San was standing; she was not there.

"I am in control of my body, my soul." Ashitaka said quietly. "I will never give in to you...not while there is something worth fighting for!"

The room was bathed in a white light. It was so warm that Ashitaka collapsed to the ground and closed his eyes. Soon after, Ashitaka found himself in a tent. He woke with such a shock that a soldier rushed into the tent.

"Ashitaka-san, are you okay?" He asked as he handed the panting warrior a bit of water. Ashitaka nodded.

For the first time in a while, Ashitaka could feel no pain in his arm. He looked down and saw a purple tint covering his right side, but no pain.

"Did I do it?" Ashitaka asked himself. The soldier paid no attention and offered more water. Ashitaka denied it.

"We have a long day ahead of us, so you might want to get ready." The soldier said before bowing and leaving the tent. Ashitaka felt much different now...like he was able to move on after all.

The warrior smiled. "I can do this."


	17. Massacre

**Chapter 17 - Massacre**

* * *

><p>"We will need to send someone to collect the supplies. They were supposed to be here by now." Kato said to Hideyoshi, who was sitting down to some tea.<p>

Hideyoshi's brow moved slightly as he smiled. "We may have some time. Lord Oda's army is not too far. Okay, then!"

Ashitaka exited his tent to find Hideyoshi and another soldier standing right outside. San was not with them.

"what is wrong?" Ashitaka said as he bowed.

Hideyoshi smiled. "I am sending you and Kirito-san here on a mission. There is a small village to the north of here. I need you both to enter and ensure that they will be sending their supply caravans to us. It should not take long. Do I have your support?"

Ashitaka nodded. It didn't seem like that hard of a mission. "I will do it."

The two warriors left as soon as Ashitaka had something to eat. He could feel the fish and rice filling him up as he rode on Yakul. The soldier known as Kirito rode on a horse right alongside.

It was mostly awkward silence between the two. Ashitaka was in no mood to make small talk, especially to a soldier he barely knew. Kirito looked to be about the same age as Ashitaka, if not younger.

"Hey," Kirito said out of nowhere. "I've heard about what you did in Odawara. A lot of people are spreading rumors about your power."

Ashitaka didn't respond.

"Don't you think it's an awesome ability? I know what I would do if I had-"

"What would you do?" Ashitaka said, stopping next to a tree. He stared at the soldier, who looked like he had just stepped in something unpleasant.

"Well...I"

"This power isn't something to brag about. It's more of a curse...it IS a curse." Ashitaka said without emotion. Regardless, it scared Kirito all the same.

"I apologize."

"No one understands the burden I carry..." San might have, but Ashitaka didn't want anything to happen to her. She shouldn't have come along. She should have stayed in her forest with her wolves and her animals...I should have never went to help those boars. I would still be in Iron Town, working on that wall.

"Ashitaka?" The warrior snapped back to reality at the sound of his name.

"should we get going?" Ashitaka said quickly. Without giving Kirito time to respond, Ashitaka lightly dug his heels into Yakul and pulled the reins. Yakul dashed forward, soon followed by Kirito.

The village was a very small farming community. It looked similar in size to Iron Town. There were humble farmers plowing their fields, children running around, and women carrying vases and boxes. Ashitaka didn't want to bother these people at all with war business, but he was asked to do it.

As Ashitaka trotted through on the back of Yakul, the villagers would all give him scornful looks. They would look at his face, his arm, and either turn away or look on with hatred. Asthiaka had encountered people like this before, and he hoped it wouldn't turn out the same.

Kirito, however, didn't notice the villagers. "Do you think they have the caravans somewherE?" He asked after shifting his weight on his horse.

Ashitaka didn't respond, but he stopped Yakul. There were a group of villagers in front of him, to the sides, and even from behind. He and Kirito were surrounded. Kirito finally took notice, stopping his own horse as well.

"What do you want here?" One villager stepped forward. He was an older man, wearing ragged clothes and a ragged beard. His hands were behind his hunched back.

The man on the horse spoke up. "We are here representing Hideyoshi."

"We don't want you!" A younger man shouted from the crowd. "Your wars are tearing the lands apart! We barely have enough for our own people, so why give it away to you!"

"And that man!" A woman interjected. Ashitaka couldn't tell where her voice came from. "We've heard the tales. The man with a demon's gift, who kills for pleasure and bathes in the blood of his victims!"

Ashitaka's arm throbbed. Surely they weren't talking about him, but he wasn't so sure. The looks on the villagers' faces were fear-driven, no doubt.

Kirito's voice echoed above the murmuring of the villagers. "We mean you no harm! We just wanted to find out if we had your support, is all. We will return to Hideyoshi and tell him to move on, if you'll let us."

The crowd died down, but another voice spoke up. "They mean to raid our village for their food! They'll come in the night, steal our wares, burn our homes, and kill our children!"

"We will not raid you!" Ashitaka said, trying to calm the crowd. He could feel the tension against his face. "We have much bigger things to worry about than common villages." The villagers began to calm, to Ashitaka's relief.

However, someone with his voice kept talking. "However, if you don't let us go...I cannot make that promise."

"You mean to threaten us? A common village? Hideyoshi's enemies are starting to seem like our friends right now!" There were too many voices for Ashitaka to count, including the one that was his own. Did he say that? It felt like he did, but he did not think the words.

"Ashitaka..." Kirito looked to the warrior.

The voice spoke again. "None of you will want to fight me. Anyone who tries will die by my hand. Now, let us go."

Slowly, the crowd parted. Kirito took his horse and sped off. Ashitaka began to do the same, but something sharp hit his back. He fell off of Yakul and hit the ground with a thud. The pain in his back remained, stinging right down to the bone.

It was an arrow. One of the villagers shot him with his back turned.

"The other one got away. Should we chase after him?"

"No, let him tell. We can deliver this man to Oda's opposers. They will tear him apart, and Hideyoshi's greatest weapon will have fallen."

"I say kill him now and get it over with!" A burly man approached Ashitaka and picked him up by the head. With one flick, the man's fist began to crush Ashitaka's head. He screamed in pain as everything went black.

Ashitaka's arm began to turn green. In a second, everything stopped. Even the pain in his head and back were gone. He fell from the burly man's grip, but the man didn't follow up. He stood there with his arm out while the others looked on. Ashitaka moved to remove the arrow from his back and pulled out his sword.

One stab and everything moved again. The burly man stood there, a long katana in his gut. Ashitaka turned and removed his weapon, causing the man to fall with a loud thud. The villagers looked on in shock. Ashitaka looked down to see his arm a dark black. It was time.

"Please..." The old man spoke up. "It was just...we can give you the caravans now. We'll give you all of our food, even some good soldiers. Please!"

"That opportunity has passed." Ashitaka said, and in an instant his sword was in the old man as well. The villagers began to run, screaming in every direction. Ashitaka only smiled.

He ran from one villager to the next, stabbing and slicing through all of them like pieces of meat. Some tried to fight back, carrying arrows or swords or axes. When one man slammed an axe down, Ashtiaka moved his blade and cut the weapon right in half.

For every kill he made, Ashitaka took another two with arrows. He pulled his bow out when faced with another two men, charging with spears. He let one loose, lodging it right into an eye of one, while he loaded his second arrow and shot it before the first man even realized he was dead.

All Ashitaka could hear were the screams of the women and even the children. The warrior cut through them all. Men, women, children. It did not matter. Ashitaka knew that someone was moving for him, killing for him. But, he rather enjoyed it as well. The best ones were the ones that tried to fight back, but they all fell the same way.

Silence was all that remained after Ashitaka slew the last villager. It was a woman, only about fifteen years old. She was huddled in the corner of one house, crying as she held the body of her baby brother. Ashitaka didn't want to do it, but before he could react, it was done. She died without a word, falling into her lap.

Blood was everywhere: on the walls, in the water, and on every slain body. Ashitaka's blade dripped with blood as well, the blood of that girl. It got him thinking about San again.

"No." He said out loud, not wanting to think of it anymore. He heard a faint cry, which got him to turn. It came from another building. Another one, Ashitaka thought. He gripped his sword and walked right inside.

As soon as he did, he heard the scream of a little girl. She was in the corner, just like the other girl he had killed. This one was alone, however. The girl had to have been less than ten years old. She was shivering, closing her eyes as Ashitaka entered the room.

"Please!" The girl squealed as Ashitaka approached. The voice was in his head now.

"Do it."

"Do it. Kill the girl."

Ashitaka stared down at the girl, she had tears on her face and her hands over her head. She had a small pink kimono on. There were flowers on the sleeves. She had another flower in her hair.

"Kill the girl."

The warrior raised his blade over his head. The girl whimpered as she looked up at Ashitaka. She had big, round eyes and a small nose. Her hair was silk as it flowed down her sides. She had long hair for a girl of her age. However, it was her eyes that kept Ashitaka's attention. They were staring right into him, as if pleading with his soul not to take her own. Some feeling crept up inside Ashitaka, and he thrust his blade down.

It stabbed right into the wooden floor, mere inches from the girl's feet. She winced and flinched as the blade moved, but her crying stopped when she noticed she still had her life. The girl looked up to Ashitaka with those big eyes, questioning why she still lived.

Ashitaka himself was crying. He turned away from the girl. I can't do it, he thought. I just can't.

"Kill the girl."

The voice remained in his head, but it slowly faded away. The two just stood there for the longest time.

It was the girl who broke the silence. "Wh-why..." She said. Her voice was squeaky like a child's, and her words carried some sort of feeling that Ashitaka just couldn't take away from this world.

"I'm sorry..." He said, as he picked up his sword. He walked out of the building, not wanting to see the child again. He would just return to the camp...but, what if they found out? Ashitaka thought to run and find the demon that is cursing him so. If he were to kill it, his nightmare would end.

Instead, Ashitaka heard steps behind him. He turned to see the little girl. When he looked at her, she just stood still as if she were trying to hide in plain sight.

"What do you want?"

The girl just took a step.

"I want..." Her fingers were tapping against each other. "...I want to go with you."

That actually made Ashitaka laugh. "I just killed your village, your friends, your family. Why would you want to go with the man who could kill you too?"

That made the girl look scared, but she just stepped forward again.

Am I really going to let her? Ashitaka thought long before sighing.

"Let's go."

The girl followed Ashitaka all the way back to the camp. She stood a good few feet behind him, but when he turned she would always be there. There was no smile on her face, but he could tell she was trying to be confident.

When they returned, Ashitaka was met by Hideyoshi himself.

"Kirito told me everything..." Hideyoshi said. His arms were crossed.

Ashitaka didn't know what to say...one wrong word, and he would be killed for slaughtering an entire village.

"I..."

"They were with the enemy the whole time..." Hideyoshi said to Ashitaka's surprise. "I should have figured. Well, I'm glad to see you okay. And who's this?" He said as he looked to the girl, but she hid behind Ashitaka.

"Someone from the village." Ashitaka said.

"So you slaughter a village and take a prize." Hideyoshi laughed. "You see, we are one for one, you and I."

Ashtiaka didn't know what he meant, but he soon remembered his own village. He couldn't have felt any more guilty about what he just did.

"Those screams carried as far as here," Hideyoshi continued, leading Ashitaka and the girl to his own tent. "I was going to send soldiers, but Kirito came through the woods. He said they attacked you, so I do not blame you for what you did. Just try not to kill every villager you see from now on, okay?" He turned to the girl. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded politely.

Ashitaka and the girl ate alone near a fire. He ate his own meal, but noticed the girl scarfing hers down pretty quickly.

"You must be very hungry."

The girl stopped, blushing. She then at her food at a slower pace.

"What is your name?"

She looked at Ashitaka as if he had asked her to jump off a cliff.

"Mi..Mizuki. Mizuki Sayaka." She said with a small voice.

"Mizuki...I am sorry I attacked your village. I would not be surprised if you hate me."

"I don't hate you." The girl said, which got Ashitaka almost choking on his food.

"You don't?"

"My father had that...the thing on your arm. He had it too." She said lightly.

"He killed my mother and my sister, while she was only a newborn. He would have killed me too, but instead the villagers came and attacked him. He ran away. However, the other villagers just gave me away instead of taking care of me. They said that a child of a demon will be a demon too... I ended up here at this village, working in the fields...I didn't know any of them truly."

"But, I don't hate you." She looked deep into Ashitaka's eyes. "You could have killed me too, but you chose not to. I could tell that you were different."

Just like that, Ashitaka pictured this little girl's entire life. Raised by a demon, saw her family killed just like that, passed around from village to village...

"Please," Mizuki bowed her head. "I want you to...I want you to kill my father, wherever he is."

"I will." Ashitaka said it without meaning. Deep down, he would if he could, but Ashitaka was not going to go off searching for this demon man. It was a demon bird he was hunting.

Either way, Mizuki had a smile on her face. She jumped and gave Ashitaka a hug. "Oh, thank you!" She said with tears. Ashitaka just sat there, wondering if he really would kill him if he had the chance. I hope he is on the other side of this battle, Ashitaka thought. That would make things easier.

"So your name is Mizuki?"

San didn't know what it was about this little girl, but she felt very warmly towards her. She wasn't anything like her brothers or the animals she knew in the forest. She was a human girl, and that made San feel weird inside. It's been a while since San talked to any other humans since fighting with Ashitaka. Every day, San would look over to her companion, but he always looked like there was something on his mind. San grew annoyed by it, but soon decided to just ignore him. There was no sense in opening an old wound.

After a few days of traveling, Hideyoshi's army finally caught back up with Oda's. San was relieved to see the banners of Lord Oda on the horizon, as she rode on Mori's back. The footsoldiers were tired, but they never complained. San could feel how loyal they were to their Lord's cause. It was a surprise that San was one of the few called to a general's meeting in Lord Oda's tent, which she immediately went to.

Inside the tent, Lord Oda sat in a chair at the end of a long table. A map of the surrounding land stretched the entire length, as the others stood around it. Hideyoshi was there, along with Kato and Ashitaka. Another man was there as well, known as Mitsuhide. He looked intimidating, even though San was well used to fighting humans from her previous experience. Still, there was something about him that she didn't trust.

Ashitaka looked to San as she entered the tent, but he looked away, placing his left hand on his cursed arm. San could feel the tension brush against her.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Hideyoshi said. "Spreading out our forces might be-"

If Oda was mad, he was good at hiding it. "It will be so." Oda said. He looked very determined as he sat in his chair. He lifted a hand to his cheek.

"Forgive me," Hideyoshi said quickly as he bowed. "How will you handle this?"

"Nagahide will go into Shikoku, and Katsuie will go and invade Echigo, and I will be sending you back to try and make peace with the Mori clan, Hideyoshi. Mitsuhide will be accompanying you."

Mitsuhide nodded, as did Hideyoshi. "Very well," Hideyoshi said, bowing again. "I will leave with my forces at dawn. What about yourself, Lord Oda?"

Oda's hands went to his temples. The man looked very tired from what San could see. "I'll be in Kyoto, at Honno-ji temple. After I gather my strength, I'll return to the frontlines to assist you as well, Hideyoshi." His faint smile looked like it hid fear.

The men in the tent disbanded and went their separate ways. San and Ashitaka were about to leave when Oda called for them. "Wait, you two stay." He said, causing them both to turn and bow.

"I've heard of your feats, Ashitaka and San. I am most impressed. How would you like to accompany me to Kyoto?"

"That would be nice, but I would rather serve you on the frontlines." Ashitaka said, still bowing to Lord Oda. The man laughed.

"I insist. I doubt you've seen any finer place! It is very relaxing, which is something we all need at a time like this. My conquest is almost complete; I simply need to finish a few outliers and the unification of this land will be complete." Oda stood up from his chair and walked around the table. He placed a hand on San's shoulder. "How have my daggers been working for you?"

San bowed again. "Very nicely, Lord." She said awkwardly. She wasn't entirely sure how to interract with someone like Oda, so she followed Ashitaka's example. She must have done something wrong, as Ashitaka chuckled under his breath. Oda gave a laugh as well.

Ashitaka's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. "What about the girl, Mizuki?"

Oda turned towards the warrior. "The battlefield is no place for one like her...bring her along. She might find a place with the maids at Honno-ji. Now, get ready. We'll be leaving at dawn as well. There is no time to sit around."

Ashitaka was on his way back to his own tent when San stopped him. "Ashitaka," she started. "Don't do this...we left on this journey together. We have to stay that way." San was looking down as she said it. There was no way she would be able to handle being alone out here, away from all comforts. Even though she had her brother with her, it wouldn't be enough. Not without Ashitaka to talk to.

The warrior only looked down. His hands were trembling. San placed her own right on top of his. "I need you, Ashitaka." She said. That made him look up. His face was very different; the curse had spread enough to make him look disfigured. It was hard to look at, and San knew it was even harder to experience. In an act of instinct, San hugged the cursed man. Ashitaka flinched, but San held on tight.

"San..." Ashitaka finally said. She backed away to look at his face one more time. The purple skin transitioned to his natural skin color abruptly. San couldn't help but look down. Ashitaka backed away and quietly walked away, leaving San alone.

"It won't be like this for long." San said. "At Honno-ji, everything will change. I can feel it."


	18. My Lord Oda

**Author's note: I condensed the previous chapters down in order to make the flow of the story a little better. Instead of 60 chapters, I plan now to have only 30 total chapters. I feel this is necessary due to the large amount of chapters I had vs. the actual amount of content. What that means is that for those who have already read all of my story so far, there isn't anything really new to read in the chapters before this one, unless you want to refresh yourselves. I also feel that this will make it easier for me to continue writing and eventually finish this story, because I WILL FINISH!**

**Chapter 18 - My Lord Oda**

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><p>Kyoto was a beautiful city. Every building that Ashitaka passed was very ornate and ancient. The sky was a clear blue as the morning sun reflected off of the rooftops. Ashitaka had never seen anything so beautiful in his life before.<p>

He entered the city alongside San and Mizuki. Lord Oda himself was just in front of them, walking alongside one of his soldiers. Ashitaka couldn't make out what they were talking about, but he could see that the look on Oda's face was calm.

"Ashitaka?" Mizuki's voice snapped the warrior out of his trance.

Looking down, Ashitaka smiled at the little girl. She was dressed in a kimono that looked to be a little too big for her. She stumbled as she walked alongside San. Whenever she would trip, she would grab the wolf girl's arm for support.

"What's the matter?" Ashitaka asked. He could feel his arm throbbing, but he put that aside for now.

"This place is beautiful. I hope we will be staying in a nice place too."

"We will be." Oda turned his head to look at Mizuki. It became apparent that Mizuki was scared of Oda as she hid behind Ashitaka. Yakul made a noise as Ashitaka led him through the city.

Oda continued talking. "We will be staying at Honno-ji. I have my attendant, Mori Ranmaru, getting the place prepared right now. It will be a short respite, but after that we will be back out on the fields." He stopped to look right at Mizuki. "If you like it here, you'll be able to stay for as long as you like." His voice was very calm, like that of a caring father. The warm smile on his face eased Mizuki's tension. She quietly nodded.

Ashitaka looked around to see the villagers. They were going about their daily chores; one lady was sweeping the street while another was preparing rice. They all had plain expressions on their faces. As soon as someone would make eye contact with Ashitaka, they would quickly turn away.

The temple itself was even more beautiful. It was one simple building with a tree sitting right in front, but there was something about it that made Ashitaka feel immediately at home. The tiles on the roof glistened in the light as a gentle breeze blew the leaves on the tree. San was the first one to express her amazement as she gasped at the structure.

"I've never seen something so..." She said as she walked alongside her wolf brother to the temple. Mizuki was right behind her, although she was wary of Mori. The wolf never paid the girl much thought, but she was still scared of him.

"Honno-ji." Oda said as he bowed to a man who walked out of the temple. He looked to be about the same age as Ashitaka. He wore a plain robe and had his hair tied back.

"Ranmaru." Oda said as he approached the man. They bowed to each other.

"Nice to see you again, Lord Oda." Ranmaru said as he stood back up. He was a fairly short man and didn't look like a warrior, although he carried a short blade at his waist. Oda turned back to Ashitaka and San to introduce the man.

"This is Mori Ranmaru." Oda said as he gestured to the young man, who bowed deeply.

"Come, let me show you to your rooms." Ranmaru said as he turned to enter the temple. As he disappeared inside, Mizuki clutched Ashitaka's arm. He only looked down and smiled.

The inside was even more extravagant than Ashitaka expected. He had never seen such fine craftsmanship before. There were rows of pillars with elegant carvings on them that resembled samurai, wolves, and other creatures. Paintings lined the walls, each about great battles and victories. Ranmaru led Ashitaka, San, and Mizuki into a small room near the back of the temple. There were three futons laid out next to a small tea table. The room was barren otherwise, but Ashitaka felt like an honored guest. He hadn't felt pain in his arm for a while now.

"This is where you will be staying." Ranmaru said as he bowed. "I apologize if it is not to your liking."

"No, this is okay." Ashitaka said, returning the bow.

"Well then," Ranmaru continued. "Please excuse me; there are matters that I must speak with Lord Oda about."

Ashitaka looked to San, who stood quiet in the center of the room. He could tell that the temple was just as amazing to her, but he never felt so distant from her at the same time.

"San..." He began. The hug she gave him before was on his mind. He didn't want to hurt her anymore. He didn't want her to care for him, a cursed man. He knew San would do all she can to help him remove the curse, as that was their original goal after saving the boars in Kii. That felt so long ago that Ashitaka was almost surprised he remembered it.

"Don't." She said quietly, and looked to Mizuki. The little girl was oblivious to the tension in the room as she began to walk around. "Later." Was all San said before sitting down.

Ashitaka nodded and turned to leave the room. He wanted to take a quick look around to see more of this beautiful temple. There were many servants walking around, each tending to his or her own chores. Everyone he passed gave a big smile and greeted him as "master". Ashitaka didn't know how to feel about that as he held his right arm.

After Ashitaka left the room, Mizuki turned to one corner of the room, bringing out a pair of yukatas. "I think these are for us." She said in a soft voice, handing one to San. The wolf princess knew it was something humans wore, but she had never worn one herself. Mizuki saw San's hesitant expression and turned to her. "Do you know how to wear one? I can help you out!" Mizuki's face was cheerful as she spoke.

San slipped out of her wolf clothes as Mizuki helped her put the yukata on. It fit perfectly, conforming to San's curves and figure. She felt the soft fabric graze against her skin. She had never worn human clothing before, making it somewhat uncomfortable to wear at first. Mizuki stared at San in amazement.

"You look very pretty!"

Those words were enough to make San smile. She didn't know why she did, since she had never worn these clothes before and wouldn't make a big deal out of it. San began to blush as she spun around once. Mizuki had finished putting her's on as well.

San spoke up. "You look...pretty too." She said, eventually smiling. Mizuki gave a childish laugh.

Upon reaching the backyard, Ashtiaka noticed that there were gates on all four sides of the temple. He thought about how easy it would be to escape if something were to happen. "...No, I can't think about something like that." He said quickly, clearing his mind of the thought. He hoped nothing like that would happen.

"No. We will rest here and return to the fields to battle. We will win." Ashitaka said, clutching his arm even tighter. As he said those words out loud, his arm shot more and more pain into his body.

"Ashitaka?"

Oda's voice snapped the warrior out of his pain. Ashitaka turned to see Lord Oda in a ceremonial robe. The warrior quickly bowed.

"How can I help you, Lord Oda?"

"I have a special assignment for you, if you are willing to accept it." Oda had a warm smile on his face.

"Of course! I will gladly take this task!" Ashitaka quickly replied.

Oda laughed. "If I had more like you in my army...anyway, I want to send you to the main Kyoto gates to patrol tonight. You will represent my personal guards among the Kyoto patrollers, so I expect you to serve greatly.

"It will be my honor!" Ashitaka bowed again. He didn't know why, but the way Oda gave the order made him even more inclined to follow the man in his conquest.

"Good!" Oda said with a laugh and began to walk off. "Hey," He stopped before turning a corner. Ashitaka looked towards the man with curiosity.

"Yes, Lord Oda?"

Oda didn't turn back to Ashitaka. Instead, he simply said, "That girl you've been with...San, was it? ...How much are you willing to sacrifice for her?"

The question took Ashitaka by complete surprise. "W-what do you mean by that?"

The lord turned his head. "She's a fine one. Don't let her out of your sight, no matter what happens. When this is all over, I want you two to be able to stand together and be proud of everything you've been through."

"Y-Y-you're saying that is if we are...we are..."

Oda laughed again. "Remember what I told you my dream was? A unified land, a unified people, and lasting peace. I will work until my death to achieve that. You would be wise to find your own dream, and work just as hard. Take that advice from an old man like me." With that, Oda walked away, leaving Ashitaka alone in the warm air.

Dinner was extremely elegant and large. A long table was piled with several courses, all tasty and divine-looking. Ashitaka had never eaten food as good as what he had that night. As he ate, Ashitaka couldn't help but look over at San a few times. She was having trouble eating the food, being used to eating like her wolf brothers. Now that he thought of it, Ashitaka never remembered any time when San had a formal meal like this. It made him smile a little.

"Ah," Oda began speaking after finishing his rice. "I should introduce you all to my wife." He said as he waved an arm to the lady sitting next to him. She was very beautiful, dressed in a red yukata. Her hair was tied up with a dragon pin. She stood up and bowed. "My name is Kicho, but you may call me Nohime. Pleased to meet you."

Ashitaka returned the bow. He didn't know what it was, but he had a strange feeling about the lady Nohime. He didn't see her as a threat, but he felt there was something about her she was hiding. The warrior spent the rest of the feast eating silently and watching Oda's wife closely.

San, meanwhile, felt out of place in the temple. It was different from living on the fields with Ashitaka, or even from another human village like Iron Town. She wasn't used to using utensils for eating food, and she wasn't used to the many dishes being brought out for her to consume. It was all so foreign, but San knew this was what humans did. And, after all, she is a human too. As soon as she finished, San stood up and attempted to leave.

"Excuse me," One of Oda's servants said, stopping San before she could leave. "You're supposed to excuse yourself before leaving the-"

"It's okay," Oda stopped the servant. "I will let it slide. San, I know that you must feel out of place in a setting like this, so I will have my servants help you get accustomed to it. Of course, we won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

San turned back to see Oda's warm expression, the same expression he had when he gave her those blades. San slowly bowed before leaving the room. The scene almost made Ashitaka laugh, but he knew it would have been rude to do so. He excused himself from the table shortly after.

"San, I'm coming in." Ashitaka said as he entered their chambers. San was just sitting at the table. Her yukata glistened in the moonlight coming from the window. She looked sad; it was an expression Ashitaka never thought the Wolf princess, the Wolf Queen, the Mononoke would ever have.

"Do you want to go back to your forest?"

The wolf girl shook her head. "I won't leave you until the curse is gone. I promised you."

"But, you don't have to force yourself to -"

"I'm not forcing myself to do anything!" She yelled back with tears in her eyes. "I'm here because...because I want to be!"

Ashitaka looked right at San, who continued to speak.

"I...I love you, Ashitaka!"

Those words shocked Ashitaka. It wasn't that he didn't know San's feelings, but he didn't expect her to say it so bluntly.

San continued. "I...I've never felt this way before...this must be another human emotion...but...I...it's true!" She put her head down on the table and sobbed. Ashtiaka didn't know what to do; the woman he had traveled so far with, fought in many battles with...

It all made Ashitaka's arm hurt. That snapped him back. Ashitaka only put his head down. "I...I love you too." He said under his breath so San couldn't hear him. The wolf girl only looked up at Ashitaka. The tears in her eyes were a sight Ashitaka couldn't take. She looked...so helpless. He didn't want her to feel that way. Not for his sake.

"You're stronger than this." Ashitaka managed to say. "We don't have time for...We need to concentrate on our mission. On our goal."

San stopped crying to look at Ashitaka again. His stern expression only tore her up even more. She quietly turned away from the warrior.

Ashitaka finally cleared his throat to ease the tension. "Well...My shift at the Kyoto gate starts in a few minutes. Please try and get some sleep..."

San didn't respond. Ashitaka couldn't do anything but leave her there.

The gate was manned by only a few guards. Most of them were young and inexperienced, Ashitaka guessed. As he approached, one of the more experienced guards turned to him.

"You are with Lord Oda, correct?"

Ashitaka bowed. "I am here on his behalf."

"Great. Can we trust you with first shift? All you have to do is monitor who comes in and out. Since it is night, we'll have to question anyone who comes in. It's unusual for anyone to enter Kyoto at this time."

Ashitaka took his place at the gate. He clutched his own sword as he looked out into the dark night. Everything was so calm and peaceful, he felt like he was going to fall asleep at any moment.

An hour passed without anything exciting happening. One villager left the city with a caravan full of vegetables. "It's easier leaving at this time." The man said. He was an elderly man, so Ashitaka didn't look too much into it and let the man pass.

Ashitaka was staring out into the horizon when he saw torchlights appear. There were quite a few of them. The warrior tried to see what it was, but they were too far away for him to tell. Was it an army? Was Kyoto being attacked?

The warrior gripped his sword as the lights came closer. They did belong to an army. There were hundreds of soldiers mounted on horses. Ashitaka couldn't see their faces in the dim light. One came out in front of the other soldiers and approached the gate.

"What business do you have in Kyoto!?" Ashitaka called out to the lone soldier.

The soldier came to a halt right in front of Ashitaka. After getting a good look, Ashitaka knew exactly who it was: Mitsuhide.

"Do you bring news from the battlefields?" Ashitaka asked.

Mitsuhide jumped down from his horse and bowed to Ashitaka. "I'm afraid not. We are here for the procession that will take place in the morning."

"A procession?" Ashitaka had not heard that anything like that would be taking place. Mitsuhide had a stoic expression on his face. Ashitaka wasn't sure if he should trust the man or not.

"Excuse me." Ashitaka said as he bowed and returned to the gate. He called for one of the veteran guards, and quickly returned to Mitsuhide.

The veteran guard greeted Mitsuhide quickly, who quickly spoke. "We are here for a procession. Surely you're familiar with other processions Lord Oda has held right here in Kyoto?"

Ashitaka thought it made sense. Oda would be one to show off his army's strength for all to see, especially in a city like Kyoto. However, he still didn't trust Mitsuhide.

He wanted to say something, but the veteran guard bowed. "Yes, of course. I manned the gate the last time his army came in for a procession. I'm sure you'll be welcomed greatly in Kyoto."

Mitsuhide smiled slyly. "Thank you." He bowed before returning onto his horse and heading off for his army.

"Are you sure about this?" Ashitaka asked the guard.

"The people love watching the soldiers march out. I've heard lots of news from the battlefield; Oda is on the verge of victory. This is a great time to instill morale into the people."

"I still don't trust him..."

"You are still young, and have much to learn. Mitsuhide is a trusted general of Lord Oda." The guard retorted. At this time, the army began filling in the gates. "After you see the procession, you'll understand. They truly are a great sight to behold."

The last of the soldiers entered Kyoto as Ashitaka looked on. They were marching right for Honno-ji. Ashitaka didn't understand it at all; if Oda planned for a procession, he should have let Ashitaka know that the army would come in at night.

"...Or, maybe that's why he put me at the gate?" Ashitaka said out loud. He was too confused to think of it, so he put it off of his mind and returned to staring out into the distance.

"The enemy awaits at Honno-ji!"

Ashitaka was suddenly woken up by a rather loud voice piercing the night. After realizing that he did fall asleep while on the job, he turned to look at where the voice came from. What he heard next caused him to immediately leave his post.

...The sounds of men yelling, as if in the heat of battle.

"Where are you going!?" The guard yelled as Ashitaka ran back to Honno-ji, but Ashitaka ignored him.

Ashitaka pulled his sword out and looked at his arm. He wanted to freeze time again, just like at Odawara. However, his arm remained a dark purple.

"Of all the times it doesn't transform, it has to be now?" Ashitaka could hear the sounds of clashing blades as he made his way for Honno-ji. After crossing one bridge, Ashitaka saw a great flame appear in the direction of the temple. This enraged Ashitaka as he realized that the temple was now on fire.

...Lord Oda, Mizuki...

...San...

Ashitaka ran as fast as he could to the temple. He saw the bodies of many servants and guards. He couldn't bear to think that one of them belonged to San or Mizuki. As he reached the flaming temple, two soldiers approached him from behind. Through instinct, Ashitaka quickly turned around to block the blade of one as he kicked the other. One slash brought a soldier down as the other rose up to fight again. The second soldier brought his sword right down on Ashitaka, but the cursed warrior caught the blade in his left hand, quickly slashing with his right.

There seemed to be no one else in Honno-ji. Ashitaka assumed that the army would begin to expand and take all of Kyoto, as well as Azuchi Castle, Oda's main stronghold. None of that mattered, though, as Ashitaka ran into the temple to find San.

The main entrance was blocked, preventing Ashitaka from getting inside. However, one of the windows blew open, giving him enough time to jump right through before that part of the temple collapsed. In the main hall, he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw one body he didn't want to see.

Lord Oda sat in the middle of the room, with his hands placed over his own sword. The sword pierced right through Oda; suicide. Right next to him lay Ranmaru's body. Ashitaka approached as Ranmaru twitched. The man let out a groan.

"What happened?" Ashitaka asked the man.

"We...were outnumbered...not prepared...Oda knew we wouldn't be able to fight them off...He, he told me to not let them in. I was the one who set the fire...can't...get his head..." Ranmaru let out his last breath as the blade he stuck into himself drew the last of his life out.

Ashitaka stood silently for a moment before turning to find San. "San!" He called out, running right into his own chambers. Inside, he found her, but it wasn't a good sight. San was huddled over the table. Part of the ceiling collapsed onto it, pinning a crying Mizuki right underneath. San was trying to get her out.

"San!" He yelled as he began to move toward the scared little girl.

"Help me!" Mizuki called. A piece of the roof collapsed, but Ashitaka rolled forward to avoid it. He managed to reach the girl and grab a hold of her. A part of the roof had collapsed right on the table, further pinning the girl down. Ashitaka and San did their best to move it, but it was no use.

"Please!" She yelled. "I don't want to die here!"

Ashitaka's arm turned black as he tried lifting the table again. This time, it all moved, giving Mizuki enough space to crawl out. She clutched Ashitaka tightly, sobbing.

"Let's get out of here!" Ashitaka called to them. "Where are Yakul and Mori?"

"I took them out before this all happened. They should be safe outside Kyoto." San replied quickly.

The three made their way back into the main hall of the temple. Every way out was blocked by debris or fire. They were trapped with the two bodies. Another part of the ceiling collapsed, landing right next to Mizuki. The girl screamed again and held onto Ashitaka even tighter. As another piece fell, Ashitaka dropped himself to the floor, laying right next to Oda's corpse.

In the heat of the moment, Ashitaka took a long look at his dead commander. He looked distraught; it wasn't supposed to be this way. This man fought for peace and unification. His dream can't end now, to be consumed by fire.

No. Ashitaka didn't want it to be this way. The anger fueled him even more as the two girls screamed next to him. He didn't want to die here, not when there was so much more he had to do. He didn't want San or Mizaki to die here. He didn't want any of this.

Another piece of the ceiling begant to crumble and fall right above where the three were laying.

Was this the end?

"No!"

Ashitaka yelled as his arm turned green. At that moment, all time stood still. The flaming wood froze right above the three. San and Mizuki were still screaming, but soon stopped as they noticed what was happening. Each were holding onto Ashitaka, and therefore were free to move alongside him. The warrior realized this before turning to look for a way out.

"I need you both to hold on to me, and never let go, okay?"

They both nodded. Ashitaka turned to find an opening, and found one. He would have to kick down a weak portion of the wall, but it led right outside. They could use that to escape the temple. He began to stand up, but Ashitaka looked back at Oda and Ranmaru. He remembered what Ranmaru said, that Oda didn't want the enemy to have his head.

Ashitaka then found himself picking up Oda Nobunaga's corpse. He thought it would be heavier, but his power made it easy to lift. Without a word, he motioned for the girls to follow him. San held his right arm as Mizuki held his left. They made their way to the weak wall, where Ashitaka motioned to kick it down. It took a few tries, but the wall soon crumbled and fell apart. The three made it right outside. The pain in his body became too much for Ashitaka to handle as the green changed back to a purple color. Time resumed as all three fell to the ground.

"Why...why do you have...?" San said, looking to Oda's body.

"I can't leave him here." Ashitaka said. "I know where to bring him, but for now we need to get out of Kyoto!" He knew it would be impossible to drag Oda's body out of Kyoto, so he sat to think of what to do. The twich in his arm reminded him.

"I hope I can do this..." Ashitaka said to himself as his arm began to turn red. A portal soon opened up right in front of them.

"The spirit world?" San questioned. "If we go there, we'll just come back right here-"

"I know! Just trust me, okay?" Ashitaka said as he looked to San. There was no time to argue as San agreed, letting Ashitaka walk alone into the portal.

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><p>Ashitaka woke up to find himself standing right in front of Honno-ji. However, it looked as normal as it could be; there was no fire or any destruction at all. He stood there alongside Oda's body. Ashitaka picked it up as he walked into the temple.<p>

"With an infinite number of planes, and this one being made by myself, I doubt anything will disturb your rest here, my Lord." He said as he placed the body down in the center of the room. "I'll keep you here for now; if I need to come back and get you, I will."

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><p>The fire surrounding Honno-ji returned to view as Ashitaka emerged in the mortal world once again. Mizuki was still crying as Ashitaka held her hand. "Are you ready to escape?"<p>

Due to the chaos surrounding Kyoto, it was fairly easy for Ashitaka, San, and Mizuki to escape. The gates weren't manned now as the guards were busy figuring out what had just happened. Ashitaka managed to run right through the gate with San and Mizuki following closely behind. The three turned to face Kyoto once again, seeing the smoke rise from the ashes of Honno-ji. They then looked at each other, unsure of what really did happen.


	19. Return

**Chapter 19 - A New Leader**

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><p>A dark cloud rose up above Kyoto, eventually hovering over the entire city. Soon after Honno-ji was burned, other buildings in the area were captured. Mitsuhide's army overwhelmed the unaware defenses of the city, and it was captured within hours.<p>

But, none of that mattered to Ashitaka at the moment; he all he cared about was getting San and Mizuki to safety. In the dead of night, Ashitaka couldn't see where he was going. It had been a good hour since they fled Kyoto, meaning that they were safe enough from Mitsuhide's army. He tripped over a rock, falling into a puddle of mud.

"Are you okay?" San asked, placing an arm on his shoulder. Both her and Mizuki were wearing Yukatas, and Ashitaka could see that it was hard for them to run around in.

"I'm fine," Ashitaka began. "Where are your old clothes?"

San noticed that she was wearing the yukata, and she let out a small groan while pulling one of her blades out. "Everything happened so fast that I couldn't change out of this..." The wolf girl then began to cut the sleeves of her yukata off. Once they were free, she cut the bottom part, leaving a miniskirt behind. San was wearing the traditional sandals, which she ditched as well.

"That feels much better." She said frankly, causing Ashitaka to laugh. The girl turned to Mizuki. "Do you want to cut yours too?"

Mizuki nodded, and before she could blink, San cut the yukata down. Meanwhile, Ashitaka looked around to find something he could use to start a fire. A small pile of twigs lay nearby, which he lit quickly.

The three sat around the blazing fire, huddling together. The weather was not cold, but the recent events were pretty chilling to all of them.

"...What now?" Mizuki was the first to break the silence. Her eyes widened as she stared up at Ashitaka.

"We keep moving," was all Ashitaka could say. He didn't know what to do at all, but he knew it was too dangerous for a little girl like Mizuki.

"We need to find Yakul and Mori first," San replied. Ashitaka looked up, realizing that their companions were not with them. He calmed down, however, as he spoke.

"If we stay around here, we'll be captured by those soldiers. We need to keep moving...if you were ever separated from Mori, what would he do?"

San pondered for a moment. "I think he would head back to our forest. If we were ever separated, we could always meet there."

"Good. That is our next destination."

San's eyes lit up. "Really? We're returning to...?"

Ashitaka nodded and looked to Mizuki. "It's too dangerous for Mizuki to travel with us. I want to leave her at Iron Town, with Toki."

Mizuki interjected. "But...I want to stay with you!" She gripped Ashitaka's arm tightly, looking up at him with big eyes.

"You'll be with good friends of ours. You will be safe there. I want to keep protecting you, but I can't take you with us...not where we're going."

Mizuki nodded lightly before letting go of Ashitaka. Not too long afterwards, the little girl was asleep. Ashitaka stared at the fire that lay before him. San sat silently right at his side. Gently, Ashitaka placed his right arm around San. When he made contact with her shoulder, she gave a slight jump, but settled down.

"Everything will be okay. We'll see Yakul and Mori again."

San didn't say anything; instead, she rested her head against Ashitaka. Her warmth was much more soothing than the fire that blazed in front of him. He soon began to feel bad about the way he handled the situation with San recently; he knew she would always be there for him, no matter what.

"Whatever happens, we'll make it through." Ashitaka said under his breath. San was sleeping, cuddled on his right side. Looking up, Ashitaka saw a full moon. Hearing a wolf's howl in the distance, he began to lay San down gently before getting rest himself.

The pain in his right arm woke Ashitaka up again. It was stronger this time as he could also feel it in his chest and his face. There wasn't much time left before it would completely take him over; he had to find the demon that made it before that could happen. Opening his eyes, Ashitaka saw San sitting right in front of the fire. She was cooking fish by holding them right over the fire. Ashitaka laughed a little before getting up.

"That's not how you do it, you know."

San blushed before pushing one of the fish to him. "You do it, then! I haven't had to cook my food before leaving my forest..." She said, taking a bite out of the other fish. Ashitaka only laughed harder.

Mizuki woke up to the smell of fish, seeing Ashitaka cooking two pieces over the fire. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up.

"Glad to see you're up." Ashitaka said with a cheerful expression. Mizuki smiled back.

The meal was short, but satisfying as the three finished every part of the fish. Ashitaka cleared the fire before they decided to go on their way. It was a clear day, full of birds chirping and animals running around. Ashitaka decided to keep his group off of the main roads, as he couldn't tell if Mitsuhide left troops along the road. In fact, he wasn't sure what was going on with the army now. Lord Oda was killed, leaving no leader to take over. He knew Hideyoshi would want to take over as leader, but others like Mitsuhide would definitely fight him for it. Due to the hospitality and friendship he had received form Hideyoshi, Ashitaka knew he would follow him.

But, Ashitaka needed to return to Iron Town. He knew it would be better to leave Mizuki there with Toka and the others. It would also be nice to see everyone again. It had been a long while since last seeing the village; it might even look different than he remembered.

Traveling with San and Mizuki on the fields reminded Ashitaka of when he first traveled with San, before they were swept into the war. It was very peaceful, full of random conversation and laughter. Mizuki always had a curous look on her face; she was used to traveling, but the area they were in was new to her. Ashitaka couldn't help but smile when she would begin laughing in awe at the nature around them.

Of course, it took much longer to travel since they were all on foot. Ashitaka had never missed Yakul as much as he did right now. Even though they were apart, Ashitaka could feel that his companion was still alive, and is traveling in the same direction. His intuition proved to be correct: After passing through a small forest, Ashitaka saw two figures moving ahead of them. He immediately knew what they were as he began to call out.

"Yakul! Mori!"

The figures stopped and turned around. Sure enough, Yakul and Mori were right there in the open field. Ashitaka ran forward to meet his companion. San did the same when she saw her wolf brother.

"I've missed you!" Ashitaka said to Yakul as he placed his right arm on Yakul's fur. It was very warm and soft. He turned to Mori, who was embraced by San, and gave a nod.

"I knew you were heading this way," Mori said to the warrior, and turned to San. "What happened to your clothes?"

San laughed. "I'll explain on the way."

Later that night, Mori and San did the hunting as they both returned with nice rabbits. Ashitaka made the fire while Mizuki fetched some water. The meal they had that night was very fulfilling.

And the next few days continued like that. Ashitaka and his group had not run into any people on their journey to Iron Town, which Ashitaka found somewhat strange. They even returned to a main road after a while, but nobody could be found. Soon enough, Ashitaka returned to a familiar forest. As soon as he saw the head of a Kodama appear on top of one of the trees, he knew they had made it back. Mizuki saw the Kodama and gasped, although San held her tight.

"They are friends." She said. Mizuki looked as if she wasn't sure, but she nodded anyway. The kodama tilted their heads as they dropped back into the trees. Ashitaka's group continued through the forest on their way to Iron Town. Both Ashitaka and San felt relieved as they passed familiar locations: the large lake where Ashitaka saw the spirit of the forest looked as marvellous as ever.

San had a smile on her face the entire time they walked through the forest. She felt at home here, the place she had called her home for many years. She wondered if her other brother was around, and what he was up to.

"Rutoo!" San called after seeing a white shape in the distance. A wolf's head emerged from a set of bushes. San, teary-eyed, ran to meet her brother. Mori followed closely behind.

Mizuki held on to Ashtiaka as she walked through the forest. When the wolf known as Rutoo appeared, she gasped and hid behind the warrior. Ashitaka stopped to stare at the relaxing sight in front of him.

"It's been a while," Rutoo said as San held him tightly.

"Much too long..." San replied.

"Thanks for keeping her safe, Mori." Rutoo turned to his wolf brother. Mori bowed his head in response.

San turned back to Ashitaka. You should take Mizuki to Iron Town. I want to catch up with Rutoo and check things out in the forest. Is that okay?"

Ashitaka nodded. "Come down to the town tonight." San smiled and went off with her brothers. Ashitaka then turned to face the little girl, who stood wide-eyed at the town she could make out beyond the trees.

"That's Iron Town...looks like it hasn't changed since I left." Ashitaka said, relieved that the war hadn't affected this area. The birds chirping in the trees further added to the tranquility that Ashitaka wanted to protect.

"Beautiful..." Mizuki said in awe as Ashitaka led her to the town. They both made it to the soft slope that led down into the town's surrounding waters. Ashitaka remembered too clearly what happened here before. Yakul followed the two as they approached the large gates.

"Is anyone there?" Ashitaka called out.

"What do you want!?" A woman's voice called from above. Mizuki became startled, but Ashitaka only laughed. Looking up, he saw Toki pop her head out from the top of the gate. She took one long look at Ashitaka before realizing who he was.

"Ashitaka!" The gate immediately opened as Toki jumped down and rushed to greet the returning warrior.

"Oh, it's been so long since you left!" Toki said, crushing Ashitaka in her grip. She backed up to take a better look at him. Noticing the purple tint of his right arm and face, she asked, "What happened to you? Don't tell me you..."

Ashitaka only smiled.

"Again!?" Toki said, shaking her head. It was then that she noticed Mizuki standing there, hiding behind Ashitaka.

"And you brought back a little girl? Did you...Wait, you!? How long have you been gone again!?"

"Don't get the wrong idea!" Ashitaka quickly replied. "I rescued her from a village...she's been traveling with me and San."

Mizuki stepped forward. "My name is Mizuki. Nice to meet you." She said in a shy voice.

Toki smiled. "Well, we always welcome women here in Iron Town! Come," she turned back to Ashitaka. "You should greet Lady Eboshi. She's been waiting for you to return...you know, you could have sent a letter or something!" Toki talked on and on as she led Ashitaka and Mizuki through Iron Town.

Much of the town looked much nicer than Ashitaka remembered. There were children running through the streets, villagers carrying on with duties and chores, and the women were as hard-working as ever. Ashitaka knew almost everyone he passed, and they all greeted him as if he had come home from a victorious battle. No one mentioned or even seemed to notice the curse Ashitaka had, which he thought was refreshing. He didn't need to be reminded that it was there, and he would rather get rid of it as soon as possible.

Lady Eboshi's place was very extravagent. Ashitaka noticed that the place was rebuilt and refurbished. There was a small fountain right in front containing a kodama statue. The water poured out of its hand into the golden basin below. Villagers were scooping up the water into buckets for use in chores. As soon as Ashitaka entered, he was greeted by the Lady herself. She was wearing a red silk dress, with part of the right sleeve cut off. Ashitaka had almost forgotten that Eboshi lost her arm, but his train of thought was disrupted as the Lady gave him a hug anyway.

"It's been way too long, Ashitaka!" Eboshi said in her mighty voice. Ashitaka didn't know how long it had been, but Lady Eboshi still looked beautiful. She placed her remaining hand on Ashitaka's right cheek, noticing the curse as soon as she saw him. The skin twitched a little.

"What have you been caught up in this time?" Eboshi said. "I'll let you know, I have nothing to do with it!"

Ashitaka sat down and told Eboshi and Toki about his adventures after leaving Iron Town with San. He recounted all of the moments as he told the story, leaving the women wide-eyed and curious. Mizuki was listening intently as well, since she had not heard of most of Ashitaka's adventures yet. It was nighttime when he finished; his arm was in pain again and he had dried tears on his face.

"...Incredible..." was all Toki could manage to say. "We've heard a little about this war a few times, but...wow."

"Wait...you said you found your home village destroyed?" Lady Eboshi spoke up, remembering one part that Ashitaka teared up at. Ashitaka silently nodded.

"Toki, wasn't there a group of people who came by this way who said they came from a destroyed village in the East?"

"Oh yeah." Toki said. "Now that you mention it, there were. They said they were Emishi."

Ashitaka's eyes lit up. "They were here? They..my village?"

Toki smiled. "They're...they're still here. They awnted to move on, but I offered that it would be better to stay. If they come from the village you came from...then..."

"I have to go meet them." Ashitaka said, getting up. Toki followed him out of Eboshi's house. Lady Eboshi watched them go before turning her attention towards Mizuki.

"Want to go explore the town a little with me?"

Mizuki nodded.

* * *

><p>"We gave them a special part of the town, so they would all be together." Toki said as she led Ashitaka to a corner of the village. It was as beautiful and decorated as the rest of Iron Town, but Ashitaka had a nostalgic feeling as he walked through. As Toki led him to the center of the area, he saw three girls sitting near a well. Ashitaka didn't notice who they were until he heard one of the girls' voices:<p>

"...Kaya, are you ready to head back?"

That was when Ashitaka knew that the people from his village did come here. More importantly, Kaya was...

"Kaya!" Ashitaka called out.

The girl in the middle of the three popped her head up before slowly turning around. She took one good look at Ashitaka before getting teary-eyed.

"Ashitaka!" She said, jumping up to run to her former husband-to-be. She gave him a big hug, which he returned affectionately. He could hear Kaya's sobs go right into his chest as they stood there in embrace.

"I thought I would never see you again..." She said softly. Looking up into his eyes, she noticed the curse he carried. "Are you...did you ever get rid of that curse?"

"I did, but a stronger one got me..." Ashitaka said silently, closing his eyes. Kaya tightened up on her hug.

"It doesn't matter how strong the curse is...I know you'll get rid of it. I believe in you."

"Is the entire village here?" Ashitaka asked next. Kaya looked up at him, tears suddenly appearing in her eyes. She then shook her head.

"The oracle and the other elders wanted to stay with the village because of tradition...us younger ones ran. I...I didn't want to die! I didn't want to go without seeing you again..."

"There was no way you could have...I was exiled." Ashitaka said. Kaya began sobbing. The other girls behind her approached and placed a hand on her shoulders.

"But," Kaya continued. "I see you now. I'm so happy."

"Ashitaka?"

San's voice came from behind, prompting Ashitaka to quickly turn his head. San stood there, still wearing her torn yukata. The red paint on her face had been fading away since they left on their journey, but it was completely gone now.

"San..."

"Who is this?" San asked. Her tone sounded more curious than suspicious.

"This is-" Ashitaka began, but Kaya removed herself from the embrace and stepped toward San.

"My name is Kaya...I am...I will be Ashitaka's wife."

The words came as a shock to everyone, even Kaya's friends. Ashitaka looked at Kaya with big eyes. "Wait...what do you-"

"Oh." Was all he heard San say.

"Well, it is true that we were going to be married, but since I was exiled-" Ashitaka said, but before he could continue, Kaya turned around and hugged him again.

"That doesn't matter! Ever since you left, I've always been longing to see you again...I love you."

Ashitaka couldn't believe what was happening. It wasn't that he didn't love Kaya back, but San...

"San-"

"No, it's fine. I understand." San said quietly, avoiding Ashitaka's gaze.

"I see some tension here."

Lady Eboshi appeared alongside Mizuki, startling everyone once again. San turned to look at the lady, remembering the encounters they had before. No matter how much San, the village, or the forest have changed, she still had resentment towards Lady Eboshi.

However, Eboshi only looked at San and laughed. "Good to see you again. I thank you for taking care of Ashitaka while you were gone...well, besides letting another curse affect him."

San clenched her hands.

"Lady Eboshi, that's enough." Ashitaka said.

"I'm only joking," she replied. "That conflict is in the past, along with my right arm." She raised her stub up for a second.

San began walking away. "I'll be going now. Ashitaka, the Forest Spirit wants to talk to you before you depart."

"Wait, why didn't you say 'we'?" Ashitaka noticed San's tone was much different than it usually was.

"I...I want to stay here. In my forest." San didn't give Ashitaka time to respond as she left, running back towards the forest.

Kaya took Ashitaka's left hand in hers. "I'll go with you. Please let me go with you!"

"You have to stay here, Kaya. It's too dangerous, and I don't know if I'll be able to protect you all the time..." Ashitaka said. He remembered everything San had said before, about always being by his side. Was this misunderstanding with Kaya really enough to change her mind? Did she really love him that much too?

"Perhaps a good rest will clear your mind." Lady Eboshi said. "Kaya, would you mind letting Mizuki here stay with you? I know your building has a few extra rooms."

Kaya nodded silently. Without a word, Ashitaka also left to go back to his own home. Toki stared at him as he left, looking sad after witnessing what happened.

Ashitaka's room was located over the smithy. It was just as he left it: small and cozy. As soon as he entered, he jumped onto the futon that lay ready for him. It was the first time he had a good place to rest in a while, but he wasn't looking forward to it at all.

As he drifted off to sleep, Ashitaka remembered everything he had done since last sleeping in his bed. It felt great to be back, but Ashitaka knew he couldn't stay. Not only must he find a way to remove his curse, but Ashitaka must also return to the front lines. He had a duty to both Oda and Hideyoshi that he couldn't forget now. All he wanted was to keep Iron Town safe, to keep Mizuki, Eboshi, Toki, Kaya, and everyone else safe...to keep San safe.

"Ashitaka?"

The warrior woke up. It was pitch-black, but he knew exactly whose voice was calling for him. Kaya entered Ashitaka's room and sat right next to the futon.

"What do you want, Kaya? It's late; you should be getting rest."

"I haven't seen you in such a long time, and as soon as we finally meet again, you want to go to sleep...and you'll be going off again soon. I don't know if I'll see you again after this..." Ashitaka could hear Kaya's voice breaking. He knew she was crying.

As Ashitaka sat up, he could feel something grab him. Kaya threw her arms around the warrior, crying as she did so. The pain in his right arm grew intense; as Kaya clung to him, Ashitaka screamed out in pain.

"I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" She asked.

Ashitaka was too blinded by the pain to think. He screamed. "Just get out!" He stood up quickly, causing Kaya to fall to the floor as he did so. She gasped as she hit the hard floor, quickly got to her feet, and left Ashitaka alone.

By the time the pain went away, it was too late. Ashitaka stood alone in the room. He punched the wall in frustration.

"I'm sorry..." He said to himself. Kaya didn't know much about the curse, and that it would make Ashitaka more aggressive. He hated himself at that moment, wishing he could take it back.

Ashitaka ran outside, trying to see where Kaya ran off to. The village was silent at this time of night, but Kaya was nowhere to be seen. Ashitaka ran down to the central square, past the sweatshops and iron works, and even near Lady Eboshi's place. He wanted to go right to Kaya's house, but he didn't want to wake Mizuki or cause a bigger scene. Kicking the ground, Ashitaka turned to leave Iron Town.

"The Forest Spirit." He remembered San telling him that he was requested by the Forest Spirit before he left. Ashitaka thought it would be a good time to do that now.

The forest was just as silent as Iron Town. It felt very relaxing to walk through, seeing trees silently sway in the darkness. The pain in Ashitaka's arm and chest came and went, but he did his best to ignore it. All he could imagine was the possible look Kaya had after Ashitaka yelled at her.

The large lake glistened in the moonlight. There was a small opening in the trees above for a small ray of light to shine down on the water. Ashitaka looked into the distance, seeing the Forest Spirit appear. Ashitaka waded through the water to make his way to the island in the center. Too many memories flowed through Ashtiaka's memory as he approached the Spirit.

"Ashitaka," the Forest Spirit said. His voice was calm and soothing, causing any pain Ashitaka had to melt away. The warrior bowed to the Stag in front of him.

"I can see you have been affected by another curse..." The Spirit continued. "There must be something about you, yes..."

"Are you able to remove it?" Ashitaka asked. "I should have come to you right away after first getting it..."

"I'm afraid I cannot. The demon that this curse originated from is much different than the boar god's. Perhaps I should say that this curse is on another level completely, something that my powers alone cannot fix."

"I was told that I have to kill the demon in order to remove the curse."

"That is one possible way, yes. I cannot guarantee you will survive, however." The Forest Spirit looked into Ashitaka's eyes unmovingly as it spoke.

"I understand," Ashitaka replied. "If I die, so be it. Do you know where I can find this demon?"

The Forest Spirit looked up to the moon. "Are you aware of the four great Spirits?" The Spirit then dropped a hoof into the water, causing four small figures to rise out of the lake. "The stag of the forests, the Dragon of the sea, the tiger of the plains, and the Phoenix of the mountains."

"For many years, we have protected this realm and the nature surrounding it. When corruption and hatred fill the lands, we grow weaker as well. You saw that happen when I changed into a dark spirit." The stag changed into a dark spirit, the one that nearly destroyed Iron Town.

"Due to your efforts, I was restored." The Spirit continued. "However, around the same time, the Phoenix of the mountains changed into a demon as well, due to the same corruption and hatred that filled its lands. Unfortunately, it wasn't resolved, causing the demon that created the curse you possess. That is why I cannot remove it from you, as the curse of a spirit can only be removed by that spirit."

Ashitaka thought long and hard about what he heard. "If I defeat the Seishin, or the Mountain Spirit, will my curse be removed?"

"It is hard to say, but I believe so." The Forest Spirit nodded as the figures dropped back into the water and dispersed.

"As for where to look, the answer is North. On the island of Hokkaido, high in the mountains, you will find the Mountain Spirit's domain. Again, I do not believe you will succeed, but I will pray for your safety regardless."

With that, the Forest Spirit disappeared in a flash of light, knocking Ashitaka onto the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was alone on the lake. Ashitaka decided to get up and return to Iron Town.

As he walked back through the forest, he could only think about San and Kaya. He had hurt them both in the short time that they returned to Iron Town. Ashitaka thought it would be a good time to be back, but he could feel nothing but remorse right now. The sooner he left, the better. He knew it would be hard for Kaya, but he didn't want to risk her safety out in the wilderness. And if San didn't want to go with him, he decided it would be okay as well; Ashitaka didn't know what he would do if San got hurt in any way...even after everything they had been through together.

When Ashitaka opened the door to his room, he saw someone sitting inside. It was Kaya, who sat huddled next to Ashitaka's futon.

"Hi..." Ashitaka said quietly.

"welcome back..." Kaya said with the same tone.

"Look, I'm sorry..." Ashitaka said, quickly bowing low.

Kaya looked up at him. "It's okay. I know now that it must have been your curse...you've been struggling for so long. I was just too excited to see you again that I didn't realize how you were feeling."

"It's not your fault." Ashitaka said, placing a hand on Kaya's shoulder. She felt so soft and warm. "A lot has happened. And I do have to go, but I will be back. I promise you."

Kaya nodded before getting up.

"Promise me you'll take care of Mizuki?"

"Of course."

"Thank you. Well, good night, then."

"Good night."

Kaya began to walk out before stopping right behind Ashitaka.

"Ashitaka?"

As the warrior turned around, he was met with a kiss from Kaya. She stood up on her toes to kiss Ashitaka, wrapping her arms around his neck. Together they stood like that until Kaya let go.

"I didn't know if I'd be able to do this when you left, so I figured I'd do it now..." Kaya said sheepishly. Ashitaka could tell, even in the darkness, that she was blushing.

"Good night." Kaya quickly said before leaving Ashitaka alone in his room. The warrior put his left hand over his lips, feeling where Kaya had kissed him. It was just the thing he needed to get him out of his depressed state. He knew it would sleep well that night, for the first time in a very long while. However, all he dreamed about that night was...San.


	20. A New Beginning

**Originally, I wanted to put to end this section of the story by chapter 20, but the story arc with Iron Town just came to me while writing the last chapter, and trying to fit the final 2 battles of this section into this chapter would not work, so I'll push it back another chapter. This means I'll probably end up with 31 chapters or so by the end; I need to pace myself so I can finally finish the darn thing!**

**Chapter 20 - A New Beginning**

* * *

><p>The morning light was enough to wake Ashitaka up from his dream. He and San were sitting on a small hill. Flowers were in bloom and birds sang over them. As Ashitaka lay in his bed, stirring at the creeping light, he wished he could return to that meadow and that dream.<p>

However, an unfamiliar smell reached his nose. It smelled delicious, causing the warrior to immediately get up. Across the room, he saw a small fire with an iron pan being held over it. Kaya was the one holding the pan; after seeing Ashitaka finally wake up, she smiled.

"You've been sleeping for a long time." She said, returning her attention to the pan. Inside it were a couple of eggs and meat. Beside her, rice lay waiting to be eaten. It didn't look like a fancy meal, but something about it made Ashitaka's mouth water.

"What are you doing here?" Ashitaka asked while rubbing his eyes.

Kaya laughed. "You're leaving today, right?" She paused for a moment; it seemed as if she were about to cry. However, she continued. "I wanted to cook you a meal and see you off. The other villagers will be waiting to see you go too."

Ashitaka knew he was well-known in Iron Town, and it made him happy that they were still supportive of him, given his current condition. He knew for a fact that the villagers were aware of his new curse, yet they still carried on with their business. And once Ashitaka left, they would still carry on. Hopefully, if he can remove the curse, he will be welcomed back all the same.

"Thanks for the meal," Ashitaka said before digging in. Just as he suspected, it was very delicious. Kaya sat and watched him eat, carrying a slight smile on her face. Ashitaka had never felt so hungry before as he tore into the juicy meat.

"This was really a good meal," he said after putting down the last of the rice. Kaya smiled.

"I'm glad you liked it. It's funny...if you were never exiled and we ended up marrying, I would have made a meal like this for you every day." She began to trail off at the end, looking down at the floor.

Ashitaka remembered what Kaya did the night before. "I guess so..." He said while he gathered the used dishes. Kaya got right up and took them from him.

"Hey," Kaya said while Ashitaka put his clothes and armor on.

"Hmm?"

"That girl...she traveled with you, right?"

"Yeah. We've been through a lot together."

Kaya looked down. "I've heard much about what happened here in the past...A lot about you and her. I noticed she was wearing...wearing the crystal I gave you."

At that moment, Ashitaka realized what was happening, why Kaya kissed him and made him breakfast: she was jealous of San. She knows how Ashitaka and San have been through so much, and that their bond is...

"Kaya..."

"I know you love her. More than me."

"That's not true-"

"Don't worry." Kaya suddenly smiled. It was a warm, genuine smile. "Please forgive me for my behavior since seeing you again...I just wanted to really experience being your wife: to give you a kiss goodnight, to make you breakfast...Even if it was just for a day, I'm happy. When you leave, I'll be happily waiting for your return. I will support you all of the way."

"Thank you, Kaya." Ashitaka gave the girl a hug. The rift between them was patched, although with San...

"But, I don't know what to do about San...she said she wants to stay here. I won't force her to come with me, but..." In truth, he wanted nothing more than for her to go with him. They started the journey together; now, they have to see it through to the end.

"Talk to her," Kaya said. "Tell her how you feel. Please do."

Ashitaka nodded before staring back at his room. It was just as he had left it, and he was about to leave it again. The warrior gripped his sword, the long, black sword, and walked out. "Please take care of this place while I'm gone. Thank you again, Kaya!"

Kaya stood at the doorway, watching Ashitaka run off to the gate and into the forest. The villagers were gathering around, seeing him off. Many cheered and prayed for his return. Some stopped him to give him food and other supplies, as many as he could take. Toki was on the gate, waving at him as he made his way to the gate.

"Ashitaka!"

Mizuki's voice made the warrior stop and turn around completely. The little girl was there, crying as she stared up at the warrior, the one who spared her life. Ashitaka smiled and went to give the girl a hug.

"Please come back soon." Mizuki sobbed.

"I will." Ashitaka said with a warm voice. "When I get back, I'll show you my favorite places in the forest."

Kaya watched from the doorway, watching the people who loved Ashitaka very much see him off, watching the girl cry as he left her in the village's care. Tears poured from Kaya's face as well as soon as he passed the gates.

"Take care." She said softly.

* * *

><p>San sat at the edge of the lake. Her brothers were both next to her, sharing a meal between them. San had made new clothes since returning. It looked much like her old wear, although she wore the yukata over it as a sign of remembrance.<p>

"San," Mori said after gulping down his part. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"

The wolf princess stared into the water, watching the sunlight bounce off of it. In truth, she wanted to go, to be with him, but she could tell that the girl from the village loved Ashitaka. She knew him longer, and she loved him. She was more of a human than San was. No matter how much she changed during her journey, she could never be like them. Like the other humans. San began to think of the wolf queen she met, and how she said San couldn't ever be a human or a wolf. Tears began pouring as she closed her eyes.

"I'm sure."

Looking back up, San saw Ashitaka and Yakul's reflections in the water. He just stood there, behind the wolf princess. She knew he heard what she just said. They were both silent for what seemed like forever.

Finally, Ashitaka spoke up. "...I guess our journey together ends here." He said.

"It's been fun," San said back. "Please come back safely."

"...I'll try."

Without another word, Ashitaka walked away. San wanted to get up and call him back, to say she loved him and wanted to be with him. It ate away at her until she finally decided to do it.

"Ashitaka-"

But, he was gone. San was alone with her brothers, who sat watching the girl begin to tear up.

"He will be fine. He's been through a lot." Mori said, trying to reassure San.

"I know." San just wanted to sleep. Sleep and forget. She was fine with living out her days in the forest, alone with her wolf brothers. She was going to do so before she met Ashitaka, so nothing has changed.

"Hey,"

Another voice startled San. She turned around to see the girl from the village standing there. Mori and Rutoo began to snarl at the girl, who jumped back.

"It's okay." San said, calming her brothers. "Leave me with her, please."

Mori and Rutoo looked at each other before running off to the other side of the lake. San stood there with the girl, neither saying a word to the other.

The girl was the first to speak. "Ashitaka came to talk to you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but he left now."

"You're not going with him?"

"I decided to stay here. Ashitaka is strong. He will be fine on his own."

"But, isn't he strong...because of you?"

San's eyes widened at hearing this. She never realized that before, even though it was true. She gave Ashitaka strength, and he gave her strength as well. They've been through everything together, overcome enemies together, traveled the country together. For her to abandon him and leave him on his own would be the same as letting him die.

"I know he loves you." The girl continued. "And...you love him. I've heard all about what happened here a few years ago. I know how much he has changed...Forgive me if I caused trouble between you. I love him too, and all I want is for him to be safe...I also know that he needs you more than anything. So please, please go with him! Protect him, and love him, in a way I cannot!"

San looked down, staring right at the blades that she carried at her sides. The girl was right. San made a promise to always be with Ashitaka. She was a fool for not going through with it! She didn't want her adventures with him to be for nothing; if she remained in the forest like she used to, then everything she experienced and learned would all be a waste.

"I'll...I'll go." San said quietly, before smiling up at the girl.

"Thank you!" The girl clasped her hands together, overjoyed that San would actually do it.

"It took you long enough!" Mori stood a few feet from the girls, ready and waiting to get going.

"Mori..."

"I wanted you to realize it for yourself." The wolf said. "You need to be with Ashitaka to see the quest through to the end. If something happens to him, who'll be there to protect him?"

"I was being foolish...I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to you." San turned to the girl.

"Go, before he gets away." The girl said with a smile. San smiled back and jumped onto Mori's back.

Rutoo appeared at the moment. "I'll wait here again for your return." He bowed his head before running off. San gripped the daggers, smiled, and sped off.

Kaya stared at San as she went off to chase Ashitaka. She knew she did the right thing, getting San to go with him. She knew they would protect each other, no matter how bad things would get. With a smile, she turned to walk back to Iron Town. Tears fell from her eyes, but she kept her head held high as she began to sing a tune.

* * *

><p>Ashitaka jumped off of Yakul after riding for a few hours. He came across a small river, which he used to get a quick drink of water. He had placed much of the supplies given to him at Iron Town into Yakul's bags; he didn't want to waste anything going forward. Ashitaka knew that the island of Hokkaido was far to the north, and would take a while to get there. And if he were swept into the fighting again, there was no telling what would happen. He didn't even know if Hideyoshi were still alive; he might have been killed in a similar way to Oda...<p>

His train of thought was broken when a horse and carriage ran right through the river, splashing water all over the warrior.

"Hey!" Ashitaka yelled, putting a hand on the handle of his sword.

The carriage stopped as the man driving it jumped down. He was a short man with a red hat on his head...after a few seconds, Ashitaka realized who it was.

"Jigo?"

The man known as Jigo stood there, arms crossed, and laughed. "Ah, It's nice to see you again, Ashitaka!" He smiled. "Hope you haven't been causing trouble since we last met."

"I should be saying the same of you." Ashitaka said mockingly. He remembered Jigo's part in angering the Forest Spirit.

"Hey, I was young and foolish back then!" Jigo retorted. Ashitaka wasn't able to take him seriously when he said that, and started laughing. Jigo got back onto the carriage. "Where are you heading?"

"North. Hokkaido."

"That's pretty far north...but, I'm heading in that direction as well! Why don't we share some stories on the way?"

Ashitaka told Jigo everything that had happened to him since last seeing the short man. The scenery passed by as he told the story for what he thought was the hundredth time. The older man sat expressionless, listening to the story as it was told.

Finally, when Ashitaka finished, Jigo said, "Very interesting...you see, all I did since we last met was travel around, buying and selling. I am very familiar with the war that's going on, you see...You hear lots of things in the cities. I found it a great way to sell weapons and armor. I can't tell which side I've sold to, but..."

"Whose side are you on?" Ashitaka asked.

"I'm on whichever side lets me live the longest." Jigo said with a laugh. He turned to search for something in the carriage. "Hey, you don't seem to have your bow anymore...want a new one?"

"If you're expecting me to pay..."

"Consider it on me, as thanks for keeping me company and such." Jigo pulled out a nice ebony bow, complete with nicely-made arrows. Ashitaka led Yakul over in order to grab them. They felt nice and light, much better than the bow Ashitaka had before. He remembered where he last saw it - at Honno-ji. He had put it down before heading off to patrol at the gate.

"Thank you." Ashitaka said, placing the bow around his body.

"I got that off of some soldier in the west." Jigo said proudly. "You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get it!"

"I can imagine..." Ashitaka responded, thinking of his time out in the western lands.

"We should be in Mori clan territory now," Jigo said. "These people are against Hideyoshi, you know. Since you're wearing his armor, you might attract some attention-"

An arrow whistled past Ashitaka and stuck right into the side of Jigo's horse. The horse jumped up in surprise, causing Jigo to fall to the ground. Immediately Ashitaka jumped down, pulling his sword out. They were in an open area - attacking like this was unnecessary.

Then, he saw them; a small wave of soldiers came from the south. One of them held a flag that Ashitaka guessed belonged to the Mori clan. They definitely were not from Hideyoshi's army.

"What do you want!?" Ashitaka yelled to the soldiers.

One of them yelled back. "Your armor. You're associated with Hideyoshi. We've been ordered to kill anyone we come across who is affiliated with him in our territory.

Jigo crawled under the caravan as the soldiers poured into the field. Ashitaka did his best to fight them all off, but the numbers were too great.

"You are going to gang up on one lone soldier?"

But the soldiers ignored him, instead answering with their blades. Ashitaka managed to block one blow, but another caught him off guard. He staggered as another blade came in, which Ashitaka blocked with his sword. Looking down at his arm, the warrior saw the black tint return.

"This must be why..." Ashitaka said. "You must have heard of me, right?"

At that moment, Ashitaka spun around, slashing at every soldier in the area. They all flew back, giving Ashitaka enough time to recover. His arm then changed to the yellow tint as Ashitaka lost control over his actions. Ashitaka raised his right arm, pointing his sword at a recovering group of soldiers. Suddenly, Ashitaka's arm extended until the sword drove right through two of the soldiers. Tendrils shot out of his arm to strike the others in the group. They were immediately killed

"Now!"

Ashitaka saw two spears pierce his outstretched arm. The pain caused it to revert to normal, but Ashitaka was too flustered to notice. Two soldiers held the spears, which pierced through one side of his arm and hooked onto the other. Other surviving soldiers tackled the warrior and held him down. Ashitaka couldn't feel movement in his right arm - the spears must have been poisoned. The tint changed rapidly from black to purple, showing that his power was fading.

He looked up to see that about five of the soldiers remained: two held the spears, two held his legs, and one stood right in front, carrying a giant sword. The soldier raised the sword above his head, ready to strike down on Ashitka.

This is it...Ashitaka thought to himself. This is the end of my journey. I'm sorry, Kaya...I'm sorry, San...

A flash of white passed Ashitaka's vision as the soldier with the sword fell down right afterwards. His throat was slit. Another flash of white followed by the screaming of men came next. Ashitaka's vision began to get fuzzy as he passed out.

* * *

><p>Ashitaka dreamt of the past, when he was still prince of his village. "Ashitaka," The oracle's voice echoed through the elder's chamber. "You are about to come of age. Now is the time to get married."<p>

"Who will be my bride?" Ashitaka replied, bowing low to the elders.

"I'm sure you know Kaya, correct? You have been friends for a long time. We feel that she is the best choice." The oracle said.

"I look forward to my future," Ashitaka responded.

The future...

* * *

><p>It was dark when Ashitaka woke up. His right arm was bandaged, but he still felt the pain from the spears. He could move it, however, meaning that the poison had worn off. He saw Jigo sitting to his left, tending to the fire. On the other side, he saw...<p>

"San?" Ashitaka could barely get a word out. The wolf princess sat right next to him, making sure his bandages were wrapped tight.

"I'm glad to see you're okay," She replied.

"You should have seen it!" Jigo added. "She came out of nowhere with her blades, putting down most of the soldiers. Of course, I was the one who pulled the blades out of you and got you to safety...Now you can live to tell the tale!" Ashitaka laughed softly at Jigo's ego.

"Here," San offered some water. "You need to drink." She helped Ashitaka take the cool liquid. His throat felt very dry, making the water feel very good for him.

"I'm going to go find some more firewood," Jigo offered, getting up to search. Ashitaka and San were left alone, next to the fire.

Neither spoke for a while. San stared into the sky, while Ashitaka stared at San. Finally, he spoke up.

"What made you...come after all?"

"Because you tend to get hurt when I'm not around," San said, smiling down at Ashitaka. They both laughed.

"Also," San grew serious. "I made a promise. I will be with you until the very end."

Ashitaka's arm was hurting, but that didn't stop him from sitting up.

"You need to rest! Ashitaka-"

The warrior put his arms around San and embraced her in a hug. She hesitated for a second before returning the grip. She began to cry lightly. Ashitaka didn't say anything, but just sat there like that for a while.

"Are you crying, San?"

The wolf girl pushed Ashitaka away. "Of-Of course not! You just distracted me, that's all." She said as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Ashitaka only laughed before feeling the pain in his arm return. He could feel the curse spreading more over his face, moving over his lips and nose. San noticed this, but didn't look worried.

"What did the Forest Spirit say about your curse?"

Ashitaka touched his face with his right hand. "I know where to find the demon that did this...but, it's a Mountain Spirit that did it. It was corrupted just like how the Forest Spirit was..."

Immediately, San replied, "There's a way to defeat it without killing it, right?"

"I don't know...the Forest Spirit said there was a low chance of me surviving anyway..."

"There has to be a way!" San exclaimed. Ashitaka wanted to hope so too, but he soon grew too tired to think about it. He laid back down in order to get some rest.

The group continued on in the morning, after a breakfast cooked up by Jigo. Ashitaka tied Yakul up to Jigo's caravan in order to help ease the injured horse's burden. Most of the journey was spent listening to Jigo go on about various things, from trees they would pass to wandering passerbys. San sat on the back of her brother while Ashitaka sat inside the caravan. He was propped up in a corner, next to a big supply of weapons.

"Are you taking these to sell?" Ashitaka finally inquired.

"No, actually," Jigo replied. "These were already bought and paid for. I'm just sending these along to the buyers. Hideyossil or something like that..."

"Hideyoshi?" Ashitaka couldn't believe it; they would be heading right to Hideyoshi's army! Jigo turned out to be useful for once, he thought to himself.

"Yeah, that's it!" Jigo said. "I'm getting paid to send these over, so hopefully we don't run into any more trouble."

Another night went by before Ashitaka saw the outskirts of the camp. It was a smaller one, he noticed; the army must have been scattered since hearing of Lord Oda's death. The soldiers didn't know who to follow anymore. These people must have been strongly loyal to Hideyoshi. Ashitaka hoped there were others out there as well.

None of the faces looked familiar to Ashitaka, but he never really paid attention to the soldiers anyway. He jumped out of the caravan after it finally came to a halt in the center of the camp, right in front of Hideyoshi's tent. There, Ashitaka saw one familiar face: Dumai.

"Thanks for the delivery," Dumai said, not noticing Ashitaka or San. When he finally looked at the caravan, his eyes looked with disbelief.

"Ashitaka? San?" He stammered. "You're alive!? We had thought you died along with Oda..."

Ashitaka clenched his fists. He remebered that night, when he just stood there while the enemy entered Kyoto. He knew he was partly to blame for Oda's death, but that was in the past now. Nothing he could do would bring Oda back.

"Hideyoshi will want to see you right away! They're currently trying to keep Oda's former allies on our side. It's hard to do since Mitsuhide declared himself Shogun and tried to win the others over."

"Where is Hideyoshi now?" Ashitaka asked. He looked around to see soldiers putting tents down, as if they were in a hurry to leave. Jigo went off in search of his payment as San followed Ashitaka and Dumai.

"He's meeting with the Mori clan in his tent now. We've been fighting them, but they are meeting now to make a treaty. Hopefully, if it succeeds, we can return west and catch Mitsuhide's forces off-guard."

Hideyoshi's tent was surrounded by some soldiers wearing Mori-Clan armor, similar to the ones who attacked Ashitaka before. When they saw the warrior's cursed arm and face, they hesitated, gripping their sword handles and bows. However, before they could do anything, Hideyoshi and Mori walked out of the tent.

"Thank you," Was all Hideyoshi said as he bowed to the Mori-Clan leader, who returned the sign of respect.

"That means it's done." Dumai said. "We're going hunting."

* * *

><p>"So you've gotten a good look at what we're up against?" Hideyoshi motioned for a servant to pour some more tea for Ashitaka and San. After making peace with the Mori clan, Hideyoshi invited the two in after expressing relief over their survival.<p>

"Mitushide's army was large in number," Ashitaka replied, taking some more of the tea. Surprisingly, it soothed the pain from his curse.

"We'll be moving out as soon as tonight," Hideyoshi stood up. "Leyasu's forces will be joining ours; we sent word to him as soon as we heard about what happened. I want both of you to join my general, Ikeda, when we attack. Mitsuhide is in Yamazaki now, reigning as Shogun...but of whom? Ha!"

Hideyoshi was right; as soon as the sun set, the forces were all ready to depart. Ashitaka and San rode on their companions towards the rear. Dumai and Hideyoshi were up front, talking about battle plans. Before leaving the area, they both came across Jigo, who found another horse and was pulling another caravan.

"I guess our paths part again," Jigo said with a nod to the two. "I'm heading near Kyushu and away from the fighting. Try not to get killed, okay?" The short man laughed.

"Try not to get in any trouble, yourself," Ashitaka said back. With a nod and wave, they parted from each other.

San sat silently on Mori as she watched Ashitaka ride on. She wanted to say something about before, when she sat in her forest and let Ashitaka go off alone. She looked at his bandaged arm again, feeling guilty for letting him get hurt that way. The people who did it were apparently on their side now, but that didn't mean the damage wasn't done.

"Ashitaka,"

"San," The warrior interrupted her. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being here."

Neither spoke as they continued on, but San had a small smile on her face as she prepared herself for the battles to come - both for Hideyoshi, and for Ashitaka as well.


	21. Hideyoshi

**Author's note: Home stretch! I am estimating about 9 more chapters before this story ends, depending on how long I write some of the sub-arcs.**

**Chapter 21 - Hideyoshi**

* * *

><p>Everything was still. All that could be heard were the short breaths the soldiers would take as they lined up, surrounding the battlefield.<p>

"This is it," Hideyoshi's voice echoed through the still air. "Yamazaki. We meet the enemy there."

Nothing else was said as the soldiers ran to battle. Ashitaka and San held up the rear of the army. Only now did the warrior notice how many were under Hideyoshi's command - at least twenty thousand men charged into Yamazaki. Looking ahead, Ashitaka could see the enemy forces - much smaller than Hideyoshi's forces - turtling together across a river. He couldn't see their faces, but he could tell they were scared.

"I will avenge you, Lord Oda," Ashitaka said to himself as he pulled his new bow out. He could see some of the enemy forces crossing the river in an attempt to march into the nearby woods. The sound of marching flooded the air as both forces ended up colliding. Ashitaka heard loud shots in the air; Hideyoshi's forces were using guns, firing at the enemy forces. Soon after, Hideyoshi's army began to split, with some crossing the river to meet the rest of the soldiers. Ashitaka and San followed suit, crossing the cool river to charge into battle.

As soon as he crossed, Ashitaka was met by a soldier holding a sword. When Ashitaka was about to make a move, he felt something whistle right past his face - a bullet shot by an enemy soldier. Taking advantage of the distraction, the enemy lunged at Ashitaka, who narrowly dodged. He pulled his own sword out with his free hand and sliced right through the soldier. Ashitaka then put his sword back as he quickly fired an arrow in the direction where the bullet came from.

San and Mori danced through the battlefield, quickly moving from one target to the next. She looked like a white blur to both sides, striking down soldier after soldier with her dual knives. Mori was able to keep himself unharmed throughout, grabbing blades with his teeth to set up a kill for his sister.

Before long, the enemy soldiers began to flee. Hideyoshi's voice echoed in the air, yelling to chase them down. Ashitaka patted Yakul and the two sped off. The enemy seemed to be running towards an old castle not too far from the battlefield. Ashitaka knew right away that they had won, and that there was no more need to fight this battle. He looked down at his arm, which still retained its purple tint. Looking over to his right, he saw San slow to a halt, patting her brother on the back of his neck. She looked over at Ashitaka and gave a shy smile and wave. Ashitaka waved back, laughing.

* * *

><p>"If only it would always be that easy..." Dumai said as he polished his blade. Ashitaka took a bite of a riceball.<p>

"Do you know what happened to Mitsuhide?" The warrior asked.

"The guy who killed Lord Oda, right?" Dumai replied. "I heard he got away...fled into the next village over...good riddance, I say! No one will support him now!"

Ashitaka clenched his free fist. "He needs to die. What he did to Oda-"

"It's okay." San placed a hand on Ashitaka's fist. "We won, and he lost his power."

"...I guess you're right." Ashitaka said, although he didn't believe it. He knew it wouldn't be true vengence until the man who killed Lord Oda was confirmed to be dead, although he wasn't going to go search the entire region for him.

"What now, then?"

"There will be some sort of meeting to discuss who will be the next head of the Oda clan," Dumai said.

"Are we allowed to see it?"

"I don't think so, since the heads of the clans will be present. No room for common soldiers like you or me." Dumai laughed as he took a riceball from the nearby table. "More importantly, you should just relax. Spend time with your girl."

Ashitaka didn't register that last comment. "What do you...you mean San?" He asked in a curious tone. Dumai couldn't help but laugh.

"Who else did you think I meant? Warzones can be pretty tough on everyone. I've been part of the war for years now...you know, I have a wife and daughter waiting for me back home, in Hokkaido. I left before her first birthday...she should be about ten now, if my memory is right. Ten years without seeing her father...And ten years without seeing my wife or my little girl. It gets tough sometimes. For every person I kill, I see it as more time to hope that I can return one day."

"Basically, what I'm saying is appreciate that you have that girl here with you now. My wife and daughter don't even know if I'm alive now...and I don't even know if they are alive either. But, I hope that they are. I pray to the spirits that I can return to see them. I want to see my little girl for the first time, to finally let her meet her father."

There was a long pause before Ashitaka spoke up. "You will see them again. I know it." He said lightly, placing a hand on Dumai's shoulder.

"Thanks."

Ashitaka walked out of the tent and took in the night air. Men were cheering, fires blazed, and the aroma of charred meat filled the air. Ashitaka wandered through, greeting soldiers as he passed by.

After turning a corner, Ashitaka saw Mori standing over a nicely cooked piece of meat. "Do you know where San is?" He asked the wolf.

Mori turned his head and looked north, towards a small hill, before returning to his meal.

"Thank you," Ashitaka said quickly as he walked past the spirit wolf. It was a darker part of the camp, similar to the last time he sought after San during a time like this. He finally saw the wolf princess at the top of the hill, laying on the ground and staring at the stars in the sky.

Ashitaka slowly took a spot right next to the girl. "The sky looks beautiful." San said, knowing Ashitaka was there. "Sometimes, I wish I can reach up and grab one of those shining balls."

"You mean the stars?" Ashitaka asked quietly.

"Is that what they are? Moro would call them spirits, dancing in the sky." One of the stars twinkled as San spoke.

The two lay silently for a short while. Ashitaka could hear San's soft breathing right beside him as he stared up into the sky, watching the stars twinkle over them. San gasped in delight after seeing something dash across the sky, a shooting star. Ashitaka knew that whenever someone would make a wish after seeing a shooting star, his or her wish would come true. Slowly, he placed his left hand over San's right. As soon as he felt her soft skin, San's hand tensed up.

"What-"

"I really am glad you decided to come with me." Ashitaka said, not taking his eyes off of the sky. He could see San's head turn toward him. "I've been thinking a lot since leaving Iron Town," he continued. "...If I die, I wouldn't want to die alone. Not without..."

"What are you saying?"

Ashitaka finally turned to look San in the eyes. He could see the outline of her face shining in the moonlight. Ashitaka's heart began beat fast as he tried to say what he wanted to say.

"When we get back...when this is all over...I...I want to marry you."

San began to blush as she placed another hand over her mouth. "Why are you suddenly saying this, Ashitaka?"

"I've thought about it a lot, and I've been wanting to say it for a long time. I love you, San, and I want to marry you when we return to Iron Town, when we return home. Please, let me look forward to that...give me something to look forward to, so I can keep fighting on."

It grew silent. Ashitaka didn't know what else to say; he had never said something like that before, and wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say. Awkwardly, Ashitaka turned his back to San. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

He felt San's arms wrap around him, with her face pressed right into his back. "I love you too, Ashitaka." was what she said. "...but, I don't know if I can get married. We are still too different...I wouldn't make a suitable wife, not like-"

"That doesn't matter." Ashitaka replied. A small wind began to blow over the hill, making the grass sway slightly. "We can figure out a way. If you are willing to."

San's grip on him tightened. "Yes." She said softly. Her warm breath reached through his clothes and onto his skin. Ashitaka's arm began to hurt again, but he ignored the pain with all of his might.

He turned around to face San again, seeing dried tears on her cheeks. Ashitaka reached around and embraced San as the two lay on the ground of the hill, away from the festivities in the camp nearby, away from the war raging all around them, away from all of the troubles that they have been through ever since first meeting.

"You've changed so much," Ashitaka said after a time. "Three years ago, you would have laughed at what I just said."

San let out a small laugh. "I suppose I would...but, there is still much I want to change about myself."

"No," Ashitaka tightened his grip on the girl. "I like you the way you are."

* * *

><p>Ashitaka didn't dream that night, but he woke up to the voices of laughing soldiers. He was still holding San in his arms. They had both fallen asleep on the hill, and the morning patrol had stumbled upon them. He thought about poking San with his right finger when he stopped short, looking at the purple flesh. He knew that if he wanted to marry San, if he wanted all of his fighting to end, he would have to remove the curse...and he wasn't sure if he could survive. But, all of his motivation lay in between his arms. He would do anything to be with San; he realized that now. He would do all he could to protect her, to keep her happy and healthy, to see this adventure take them right back to Iron Town alive and victorious.<p>

San began to stir as Ashitaka stood up. His joints ached from laying on the rough grass all night. He brushed some dirt from his shirt as San woke up.

"Good morning," Ashitaka said to the girl, who stood up slowly. She collapsed as she tried to get up, causing the warrior to quickly catch her as she fell.

"Are you okay!?"

"I'm fine...it's just this hill..." San said with a smile. Ashitaka began to laugh as he gave the girl a hug.

"So, does this mean we are..." San asked after Ashitaka let go.

"Only if you want it to." Ashitaka replied before running back toward the camp. San chased after him.

Breakfast was already made by the time the two put their gear back on. Ashitaka and San ate humbly and prepared to get ready for the day.

Dumai met them inside their tent after breakfast. "We should be moving on in a few hours."

"Did they decide who the next head will be?" Ashitaka asked.

The soldier shook his head. "Hideyoshi claimed it, of course, but a few of Oda's sons attempted claim as well. Some sort of negotiation was held, but Oda Nobutaka wouldn't have it. He left in the middle of the night. I fear we may have another battle on our hands. The last battle, hopefully. Get your things ready." Dumai bowed and left the tent.

"One more battle..." Ashitaka said to himself before San interjected.

"After that, we'll be able to find the spirit, and get rid of your curse." Ashitaka smiled when she said that.

"I hope so," He replied.

Oda Nobutaka. Ashitaka had not met this son of Oda, but for him to storm out of the negotiations told Ashitaka that he was nothing like his father. Ashitaka trusted Hideyoshi more than anyone else, and would do all he could to make Hideyoshi the recognized ruler. The camp quickly packed up and left the castle behind, heading towards Oda and his new army, the final enemy. The journey took a few days, causing Hideyoshi's forces to take quick stops each night. At dawn, the army would continue on. Ashitaka and San spoke little during the trek except to tell each other to catch up. Likewise, Ashitaka saw little of Hideyoshi, only hearing his words through the captains as they spoke to the soldiers. Every night, Ashitaka would pull out his sword and stare at it. The moonlight reflected off of the black blade, showing it's outline in the darkness.

The lack of fighting during the journey made his arm twitch. He resisted the urge to fight something countless times as he held his right arm down with his left. It felt like an itch that he couldn't reach, growing even more intense the more he left it alone. Ashitaka knew well enough to not pick a random fight or attack his allies, but the idea lingered in his mind a few times.

San noticed this as well, and tried to stay by Ashitaka's side as much as she could. When she saw him hesitate, she would place a hand on his arm. As she did so, Ashitaka seemed to calm down, which made her calm as well. She couldn't help but stare at Ashitaka's face now; the curse had spread to a majority of his face, turning it purple. He didn't look ugly, but the purple flesh made his face seem distracting. San could hear the soldiers whisper to each other about it, commenting on how they feel uneasy when they were near Ashitaka.

Ashtiaka didn't mind. He was used to it now. Remembering what the medicine man told him back in Kii, he kept his mouth shut. If he were to lose his temper, nothing good would come out of it. He found it much easier to control his violent urges now than he did when he first received the curse, although it was very hard to do so.

Before long, the soldiers finally made it to their destination: the fortresses at Shizugatake. Ashitaka had been kept out of the loop during the journey, but he learned that Oda's son sided with Shibata Katsuie in an attempt to throw Hideyoshi out of power and claim his father's throne. Katsuie then ordered his men to attack the fortresses. Hideyoshi's soldiers were all restless and eager to battle, although tired from the endless marching they did in order to reach Shizugatake in time. Ashitaka had a feeling they would win, but he couldn't let his guard down. A final camp was set up in preparation for the battle to follow.

After setting up the tent, Ashitaka and San both decided to take a quick rest. Ashitaka lay down and went right to sleep. San, meanwhile, stared at the sleeping warrior. She placed a hand on his hair, running it through softly. Smiling, she cuddled up right against the sleeping warrior.

"I'll protect you. Don't worry." Ashitaka said to the girl. San felt his right arm twitch a little. As she attempted to place a hand on the purple skin, she felt Ashitaka shiver and move his arm away.

"You've gone a long time without medicine, and you haven't been too angry as well." San pointed out.

"I think I'm able to control it better now." Ashitaka replied. Ashitaka remembered the dream he had about fighting the Seishin. He thought that beating the phoenix gave him a little more control over the curse he possesed. Nevertheless, Ashitaka wanted nothing more than to be rid of it once and for all.

Before dawn came, Ashitaka and San were both woken up by one of the soldiers. Many of the men were already up and waiting for orders to charge in. Ashitaka quickly put his bow and sword on before stepping out.

It was a cold and foggy morning; the fog was so thick that Ashitaka could barely see his hands if he put them out in front of him. In the distance sat a large lake surrounded by mountains. Ashitaka had never seen anything so sublime before. The fog collected low over the water, swirling around the blue water.

Suddenly, the forces began to move quickly; Hideyoshi had ordered the men to attack the awaiting enemy. In the sudden chaos, Ashitaka and San became separated, both heading down to meet Katsuie's forces. Ashitaka could see Hideyoshi on horseback, surrounded by seven bodyguards, each on horseback as well. The way they moved seemed as if they were one being, quickly descending into battle.

As prepared as the enemy forces may have been, Hideyoshi's army broke through easily. Ashitaka found himself tearing through enemies one after another as he sped through on Yakul. The warrior quickly changed to his bow to take down distant threats before continuing the battle on foot.

In front of him stood an opponent with a rather large set of armor, with an even bigger sword. It was easily as tall as a man, and twice as heavy. However, the enemy picked it up as if it were made of feathers and brought it down hard in front of him. Ashitaka rolled to his right, barely missing the smash. He cried out in pain when the sword clipped him on his right arm; the pain was so intense that his skin turned black in that instance. Ashitaka jumped up to catch the enemy off guard as he tried to pick the giant sword back up. The armor he wore slowed him down enough for Ashitaka to poke at him and step back. In frustration, the enemy swung his sword in a complete circle. Ashitaka saw this and jumped into the air. With a quick spin, he brought his own sword down on the enemy's arm, causing him to drop the sword with a thud. Ashitaka landed right on the blade as he thrusted forward, piercing the enemy in a small, uncovered part of his body.

Before he could pull the blade out, the enemy grabbed it and launched Ashitaka into the air, who landed on his back right behind. The enemy pulled the sword out and was about to use it when Ashitaka lept up and out of the way. Without thinking, Ashitaka's arm turned green as time stopped. He grabbed his sword and thrust it again before returning time to normal. This time, the stab was fatal as the enemy went down.

San had her own problems in a different part of the region. She had ended up riding right alongside Hideyoshi and his bodyguards as they charged right towards Katsuie himself. He had a small band of soldiers surrounding him, but they began to retreat as soon as Hideyoshi got near.

"We have them on the run!" Hideyoshi yelled, holding his weapon in the air. The soldiers nearby cheered.

Out of the corner of her eye, San saw an enemy pull out a bow to shoot right at Hideyoshi. As soon as she heard the string release, she jumped forward.

"Watch out!" She yelled. She knew she had only one chance to do what she was about to do. If she failed...

San reached out in front of her as she positioned herself in between Hideyoshi and the arrow. As she reached forward, she felt the arrow in her hand, which gave her the signal to clench her fist and catch the arrow. She did, with the arrow moving a little forward as she caught it. Hideyoshi saw the entire thing, yelling after San.

"Nice work! I owe you my life!" San could hear Hideyoshi yell as they continued forward.

The entirety of Katsuie's army, or rather, what was left of it, began to flee. Hideyoshi and his army followed closely behind, eager to end this once and for all. Soon, a castle appeared in the distance.

"We're reaching Kitanosho Castle!" San could hear Hideyoshi yell. "This battle has been decided!"

The castle was very tall, one of the tallest buildings Ashitaka had ever seen, even from his position near the rear of the army.

San patted Mori on the head before she heard a loud explosion. Looking up, she saw that the castle they were heading towards was on fire. She didn't understand why, but simply stared at the giant tower burn and crash to the ground. The cloud of smoke that appeared was just as mystifying as the tower itself. With that, she knew that the battle was over.

* * *

><p>"What will happen now?" San asked, looking at the remains of the castle.<p>

"There is no one who will oppose Hideyoshi now," Dumai replied. "He is our shogun."

Hideyoshi's men stood in and around the siezed remains of the castle, salvaging whatever and whoever they could. The shogun himself was nowhere to be found, however.

Looking around, San stared blankly into the distance in each direction. She wondered if Ashitaka were okay, wanting to see him in their victory.

"San!"

Ashitaka's voice prompted San to immediately turn in his direction, jump off of her brother's back, and run right towards the warrior. They embraced in front of a ruined building, for what seemed like an eternity.

"We did it." Ashitaka said quietly. "We can move on now."

San didn't say anything; instead, she got on her toes and placed her lips to Ashitaka's. He stood there, unsure of what was happening, as San held him in place. After a few seconds, she released him.

"What was-"

"I'm just happy to see you." San said, placing a finger over Ashitaka's lips. At that moment, they both could hear someone laughing from behind.

Hideyoshi emerged from a crowd of soldiers. "San, I'd like you to come with me, if you can." He bowed quickly before turning back. San and Ashitaka followed him.

They were led to another small group. San recognized the soldiers here as the men who protected Hideyoshi during the battle.

"Each of you...all eight of you will be recognized for your bravery, courage, and actions during the battle today. I am prepared to give you all the position of daimyo."

Those words were words San did not comprehend, although Hideyoshi looked right at her when he said them. Each of the seven soldiers bowed, followed by an awkward on from San.

"But, sir..." San said, stuttering. "I don't think I'm cut out for dime yo, or whatever it is..."

"I want to thank you for saving my life. If you didn't catch that arrow, who knows where I would be right now?" Hideyoshi said, placing an arm on San's shoulder.

"I humbly refuse your offer, but thank you." San said, bowing again. Hideyoshi laughed again.

"I am very glad you decided to join us. I remember all that time ago when the two of you defended that village with me from the wolves. You've seen a lot since then, I'm sure of it. You deserve a much-needed break.

* * *

><p>"It is today that I accept my position as leader of a unified country." Hideyoshi announced in front of thousands of people. They cheered as he said it, as they welcomed their shogun.<p>

Festivities lasted all through the night. Ashitaka did not partake in much, but sat back and watched with a smile on his face. He ate and drank little, but accepted everything he was offered. Dumai sat with the warrior as they watched on, exhausted from the recent battles.

Hideyoshi approached the men as the festivities came to a close.

"What are you going to do now? I can make both of you daimyo if you so wish; you both did help me out much during these conquests." Hideyoshi asked the warriors.

"I think I'm finally going home." Dumai replied. "Back to Hokkaido. Back to my family. I hope they recognize me!" He laughed.

"And you, Ashitaka?"

"I have something I need to take care of," Ashitaka said, holding his right arm. "Dumai, I would very much like to accompany you when you head back."

"Sure thing! We can tell war stories along the way." Dumai said with a final laugh.

"In that case," Hideyoshi began. "Our paths part for what may be the final time. I am honored to have had you both serve me."

The men all bowed to each other before Hideyoshi walked away. Ashitaka had much respect for that man, just like he did for Lord Oda. Oda would be proud of the turn of events.

Ashitaka found San somewhere away from the people. She sat with Mori, eating quietly.

"Are you ready?" Ashitaka asked. "I don't want to put you in any more danger, so I won't ask you to stay with me the entire time."

"Stupid," San replied. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere. We will remove that curse from you, I promise." She said, staring into his eyes. They embraced one more time; as they did, Ashitaka finally felt happy again. He wished time could stand still, so they could both cherish the time they had together forever.


	22. Dead End

**Chapter 22 - Dead End**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka, San, and Dumai were formally discharged from Hideyoshi's services with the agreement that they would always come back if something were to happen. Ashitaka actually hoped the peace formed with Hideyoshi as ruler would last as the three left to travel north.<p>

The summer heat finally began to die down as colder weather crept up over the land. Before they departed, the travelers were given provisions, a horse, and clothing to keep warm. Dumai was well aware of how cold it could get up North, and he wanted to be well when he would reunite with his family.

The trio marched further and further north, passing through acres of hilly terrain. Not much was spoken during the journey besides suggestions for stopping locations or to warn someone else about the shaky Earth. Sometimes they would pass other travelers, heading in varying directions. Some were war refugees, merchants, or small families looking to start a new life somewhere else.

During the journey, Ashitaka's arm began to hurt again. The curse began to spread even farther across his face, leaving a hideous, purple stain that was very uncomfortable to look at. Both Dumai and San refrained from saying anything to upset Ashitaka, as they both knew what could happen if he were to get angry. When his arm gave him incredible pain, he would have no choice but to stop for a while and try to shake it off.

"I'm sorry for slowing you both down..." He said as he rubbed some cold water over the purple skin.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Dumai said. "I've been away from my family for years. It won't hurt to wait a little while longer."

Dumai sat down on a nearby rock. "Besides, do you know where we are? Sendai Prefecture. At least, that's what one of the travelers called it when we passed by them before. We're almost there; just a little longer."

Indeed, they were almost at the end of Honshu and into Hokkaido. Ashitaka decided that he had to bear the pain and get to that Phoenix as soon as possible. It was the only way he could live in peace. Quickly, the warrior got back up and straddled Yakul. "Shall we continue?" Ashitaka said before setting off again.

The terrain became steeper as the weather became colder. The group found places to hide when it rained, often sticking together to battle the cold feeling that was setting in. But, when the rain began to turn to snow, the three found it even more difficult to stay warm.

Dumai noticed a small cave along an alcove and suggested they stayed there until the snow blew over. It was coming down hard now, with fierce winds blowing the icy material right into their faces.

A small fire provided the only bit of light in the small, damp cave. San sat herself right besides Ashitaka, laying her head on his shoulder. Mori wrapped behind the two as Dumai snuggled right up against the horse and Yakul. A rabbit was roasting besides the fire; Ashitaka had shot the creature with his new bow a few hours prior.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to quell their hunger for now. Mori ran off briefly to find food to catch as Ashitaka fed Yakul and the horse some seeds he had stored.

"Is it always this cold up here?" Ashitaka asked Dumai, who was busy finding a comfortable position.

"This is probably one of the colder days," Dumai responded. "I'm used to it, though. It actually feels refreshing to be in familiar weather. However, I think we did pick a bad time to be journeying up there."

"We don't have a choice," Ashitaka said. He knew that the curse would not wait for spring, so he had to act now. After feeling a chill down his spine, he realized that the cold was too much for anyone to waste energy talking. They decided to go right off to sleep as soon as possible.

In the middle of the night, Ashitaka woke up to something moving outside. San was in his arms, sleeping soundly, as he slowly got up so as not to disturb her. Pulling out his blade, Ashitaka slowly walked out into the snowy night. It was coming down much harder and faster than earlier, making it hard for Ashitaka to make out anything that would be there. His right arm pulsed for a moment as he looked left and right - nothing seemed to be wrong.

Just then, he saw two faint yellow lights in the distance. Ashitaka squinted his eyes to try to make it out, but it was too far away. As he did so, he noticed the lights getting larger and larger - whatever it was, it was moving. And coming right towards him. Before he could react, the lights were right on top of him - a pair of eyes. The warrior was knocked back into the cave, causing the shelter to shake slightly.

Picking himself back up, Ashitaka finally saw what it was: some cross between a bat and a demon. The yellow eyes were strong beams now, piercing right into Ashitaka's soul. He was frozen in place, unable to move. The beast let out a howling screech, immediately waking up everyone in the cave. Ashitaka did everything he could to try and activate his demon powers, but it was as if the beast in front of him were stopping all of his energy.

The demon lifted a clawed hand, ready to strike down on Ashitaka, before being knocked back by Dumai. Another screech saw Dumai freeze up in place, letting Ashitaka free in the process. Immediately, Ashitaka's arm turned yellow as long tendrils shot out towards the demon. Wrapping around the demon's wrist, Ashitaka brought it down hard onto the ground. "San, get Dumai and get out of here!" He yelled. San obeyed and went to get Dumai. Laying him over Mori, She then went on to get all of the animals out of the cave as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, The demon clawed at the tendrils, struggling to be free of Ashitaka's grip. The claws did hurt the warrior, but he kept a steady hand as he dragged the demon along the ground. Finally, the demon stabbed right into Ashitaka, causing the grip to loosen. Ashitaka stumbled backwards and hit the wall, causing a cloud of ice to form in the air. Ashitaka saw this and came up with an idea: he took his sword and slashed at all of the snowy parts of the cave, causing dust and snow to fly up and get into the demon's eyes. The distraction lasted long enough for Ashitaka to get a good stab at those yellow eyes. Screeching in pain, the demon covered its face and retreated to another corner of the cave.

"Got you right where I want you..." Ashitaka said slyly as he studied the demon's movements. Now blind, the demon's pointy ears perked up as he stood still. Ashitaka slowly crept towards the demon, being careful not to make a sound. His right boot stepped on a pile of snow, making a loud crunching sound. The demon responded to this and immediately swiped in that direction. Ashitaka held his blade up and managed to slice the demon along its arm. The beast screeched again and dived forward, tackling Ashitaka to the ground.

Before Ashitaka could respond, the demon took its good claw and stuck it right into Ashitaka's chest. Each talon pierced Ashitaka's armorless body in various locations on his chest. The pain was excruciating as Ashitaka let out a scream. Upon hearing this, the demon began to close his fingers together, causing the talons to begin to tear through Ashitaka's flesh as they began to converge.

Ashitaka was in too much pain to think. He had never felt anything like this before - not even from the pain of his arm. As he screamed, he began to lose feeling in his right arm due to how intense the pain in his chest was. However, the skin turned yellow. Ashitaka noticed this long enough to force his tendrils to form, but he couldn't get anything to happen. The cold air was not helping as his entire body began to feel numb.

Suddenly, the demon was knocked to the side. Dumai had come back, holding his blade in his hands, as he took a swipe at the demon right on its head. The talons forcibly left Ashitaka's body, giving him even more pain, but it was nothing compared to what the demon was about to do.

As for the demon, Dumai's blow proved to be somewhat effective as a giant slash mark appeared on the side of the demon's head. Dumai could see that the demon was in some sort of pain as a claw went up to touch the wound. The demon screamed back as tendrils formed along the cut. They thrashed about disgustingly as the demon took a moment to try and recuperate.

Dumai went right for Ashitaka. "Stay with me!" He yelled, holding Ashitaka up. Ashitaka could hear Dumai's words, but his vision was fuzzy. He couldn't feel his body except for the cool feeling across his chest. Before long, Ashitaka felt himself pass out.

"Ashitaka!" Dumai yelled as he held an unconsious Ashitaka. The demon screeched again, promting Dumai to let Ashitaka go and pick up his blade. Holding two swords, Dumai faced the demon. Dumai couldn't help but stare at the tendrils thrashing on one side of the demon's face. The thing was ugly enough, but now Dumai couldn't stand the sight.

What he noticed, however, was the the demon was blinded. The two stood there for a minute; the demon looked as if it were trying to find out where Dumai was. The soldier looked to his own blade and threw it to the opposite side of the cave. The demon immediately jumped towards that direction, causing its claws to sink into the cave wall.

Dumai took this chance and went into action. He took Ashitaka's blade and rammed it as hard as he could into the demon's back, piercing a wing as he did so. The demon screamed again, trying to shake Dumai off. Tendrils shot out of the wound, gripping one of Dumai's arms. It felt hot on his arm, causing Dumai to let go of the blade and fall to the ground. The tendrils grabbed the sword and pulled it out of the demon's back who took it and tossed it away.

Now weaponless, Dumai held his breath as the demon loomed over him. It was ugly: a demonic, purple face, bat-like wings, seemingly muscular and scaly. If it weren't blinded, both Dumai and Ashitaka would have surely been killed by now. The soldier didn't know what to do in this situation: he had never fought anything that wasn't a human before. He knew Ashitaka had some sort of demon curse, but he never knew how dangerous demons actually were. All he could think about was seeing his little daughter's face again.

The demon stood there, snarling and waiting. It took a step forward and bent down to pick Dumai up by the ankle. Dumai was hoisted up in the air as if he were a fish. The claws dug into his skin, causing him more pain than he had ever experienced before. Hanging upside- down, Dumai stared right into the face of the demon, who prepared to give the finishing blow. Dumai had finished struggling at this point, ready to accept the hand fate had dealt him.

* * *

><p>San took Mori, Yakul, and Dumai's horse far enough away from the cave. After recovering, Dumai had run off to save Ashitaka, leaving San behind with the animals.<p>

The wolf princess grew tired of waiting and decided to go and see what was happening. "Stay here," She said to Mori. Her brother obeyed and sat down. San then darted off, pulling her twin blades out as she hoped that the others were okay.

When she reached the mouth of the cave, San dropped her blades in shock. In front of her was Dumai, being held upside-down by his ankle. Three talons protruded from his backside, with drops of blood falling onto the icy cave floor. On the other side lay Ashitaka in his own pool of blood, with several wounds on his chest seeping blood.

San channeled her sadness to rage as she quickly picked her blades up and ran towards the demon, who threw Dumai aside in anticipation of the new footsteps. San ducked and slid right under the demon before getting up and slashing at the monster's back. The demon screeched in pain again as it turned around to swipe at San. She ducked again and slashed across the demon's front, causing it to stagger backwards. All San wanted to do was kill the thing that hurt her friends. If they ended up dead, San would make sure the demon never leaves the cave alive. She noticed the demon's blindness and circled around the beast, who thrashed about to no avail. Several stabs here and there left the demon with a bunch of slash marks, each causing tendrils to appear and squirm. San noticed they became smaller and smaller as more slash marks were made: the demon used those to repair itself, but too many wounds were beginning to pile up.

Aiming for the legs, San furiously slashed and danced around the demon, who began to grow fatigued. Finally, the demon fell to the ground. San dropped her blades and looked around the cave, finding Ashitaka's sword. She quickly went to grab it and return to the hurt demon's location. The beast screeched and growled, but San wasn't moved. She lifted the sword above her head and brought it down on the demon's neck. It made a different screech this time, as if it were really hurt by the attack. San lifted the blade again, dropping it on the neck. Again and again, up and down.

Lift.

Drop.

Silence.

Before long, the demon stopped moving. The tendrils died down as the life poured out of the demon. However, San continued her assault. With each strike she let out a grunt of frustration. Blood splashed up with each strike, getting over the blade and the cave, as well as on San's clothing and skin.

It was a good ten minutes before San finally stopped, collapsing on the ground. Her body was convulsing as she sobbed, aware of everythign that had transpired in that cave. She first crawled slowly over to Dumai, who was closest. He was not breathing. Blood left his wounds as the soldier lay dead in front of her.

"No..." San choked up, realizing that this man would never see his family again. Slowly, she then made her way over to Ashitaka.

Ashitaka was not breathing either. San began to shake even more violently as she tried to touch the man. Her fingers trembled as her voice shook.

"Ashitka...n...Ashitaka." San ran a hand over his wounds, seeing how each talon dug through his flesh.

Finally, the wolf princess burst into complete tears as she lowered her head to rest on the lifeless body in front of her. She heard something approach the cave from behind, but she was too emotional to turn around. She just clung to Ashitaka's body tightly, crying her eyes out.

"San..." Mori's voice was not enough to break her away from the sudden reality that tore through their journey. They were just fine a few hours ago. They were going to fight the demon and cure Ashitaka's curse. They were going to reunite Dumai with his wife and daughter. Ashitaka and San were going to be together forever.

Now, all of that was gone. San didn't know what to do. She didn't know where she was, or how to get back home. She didn't even know if she wanted to return there. How would she face the villagers, who would definitely inquire as to what happened to Ashitaka. How could she face Kaya?

"You need to be with Ashitaka to see the quest through to the end." Kaya had said to San. "If something happens to him, who'll be there to protect him?"

"I'm...sorry." San said, trying to control herself. She repeated those words over and over again, clinging to Ashitaka even tighter now.

Before long, she looked up again to stare into Ashitaka's face. She saw his eyes, blank and empty. The eyes that had used to be so full of energy were now dull. She saw the outline where his curse had spread, the red skin clinging to his face and right arm.

...Wait, red skin?

San knew that Ashitaka's skin was purple when the curse was inactive, and black when it was. She had also seen yellow for his tendrils, and green for when he would stop time. But red? Red was...

Placing a hand on the right side of Ashitaka's face, she immediately felt the warmth of his skin. It felt as if he were still alive - cold, but alive. San's eyes teared up again as she lowered her face towards Ashitaka's. She didn't know what came over herself, but she kissed the warrior right there. As she did, she felt something move in her hand.

Ashitaka's right arm began to glow an even brighter shade of red. As she looked on, San saw some sort of portal open right up in the middle of the cave. It looked similar to the one Ashitaka had used to get San out of the spirit realm before, when she was abducted by a demon.

Without any words, San picked up Ashitaka's sword and her own daggers, and stepped right into the portal.


	23. The Spirit Realm Part 3

**Chapter 23 - The Spirit Realm Part 3**

* * *

><p>San suddenly found herself underwater. Opening her eyes, the wolf princess immediately thrashed around to find an opening. Luckily, the body of water she was in was not that deep...the water itself felt pretty warm as well - almost like a hot spring.<p>

Breaking the surface, San caught her breath as she realized where she was: a hot bath house. She was in a medium-sized bath, surrounded by weird-looking creatures. San made her way to the edge and lifted herself out of the bath, catching stares from the creatures all around her.

They were muttering to themselves as the wet girl looked around for something to dry herself off. A small creature made its way towards her, holding something a cloth that San was not familiar with.

"For me?" San stammered. The creature proceeded to place the material over San's head and rub it around. San didn't know what was happening, but she found herself getting drier.

"You might want to take those off," The creature spoke, surprising the wolf princess. "Follow me."

San found herself in a changing room as the creature pulled out a set of robes for her to change into.

"I'll be back when you're ready. Place your wet clothes into the basket over there." With that, the creature left San alone in the room.

San had no idea what to make of everything that just happened. She didn't know where she was, how she got there, or what to do next. San slipped out of her clothes and into the robes. They felt smooth and silky, different than the rugged material she always wore. As soon as she finished, the creature came back in, holding San's daggers and Ashitaka's sword. San didn't know what to call it: it looked like some sort of spirit, she knew that much. The creature handed San the weapons.

"Um..." San tried to speak, but she couldn't find her voice. Instead, she began sneezing.

"Oh, dear," The creature said. "You caught a cold...Here, come with me."

"Wait," Said interjected. "Who are you? Where am I doing here?"

"That should be my line," The creature said with a girlish laugh. San knew it was a female, at least. "You just appeared out of nowhere and dropped right into the bath! Oh, if she finds out about this, she'll throw a fit!" The creature laughed again and beckoned for San to follow.

"You're in the spirit realm, for starters. This is a bath house, one of many places where spirits come to relax. I can tell you're a human, so I've been meaning to ask why you're here."

San then remembered. She remembered Dumai's lifeless body, and Ashitaka's red arm. She remembered the portal that brought her into this realm.

"I'm...looking for my friends."

"I can't say I've seen anyone strange appear recently..." The creature said. The two walked through the bath room again. San marveled at the different spirits wandering around and relaxing in the baths.

"So, what's your name?" The creature asked.

"San," San replied. "And you?"

"My name is Fugo." The spirit known as Fugo answered. "Nice to meet you."

San nodded as she followed Fugo outside of the bath house.

"Your clothes will be dry soon, so don't worry about them." Fugo said as the two walked over a small stone bridge. The river gushing underneath looked very familiar, as if San had passed by it before.

Fugo led San to a small bench, and sat down. "Please, take a seat."

"Why are we here?"

"This is my favorite spot," Fugo sat back and placed her hands behind her head. She began to morph into a humanoid-like spirit as she did so.

"So, tell me about your friends. Maybe I can help look for them."

"Why are you being so nice? I mean, we've only just met..."

"Oh, some things happened recently," Fugo answered. "A human girl was here not too long ago. She really changed some things in this bath house. I didn't get to talk to her, but I know I'll never forget her. Anyway, I have a feeling you are just as nice."

San looked down, trying to think of what to say.

"My friends were...attacked by a spirit. It looked like a demon bat, actually, with yellow eyes and a horrible screech."

Fugo sat silently.

San continued. "With one look, my one friend was paralyzed. He was killed not too long after...my other friend was...killed as well, but he is the reason I was able to come here." San went on to explain as best as she could about Ashitaka's curse.

"I see," Fugo said with a more serious tone. "I know exactly what that was."

"You do?"

Fugo nodded. "We call them Soul Reavers. They prey on souls, stealing them and bringing them into the Spirit Realm to feast. I can tell you that neither of your friends are dead...although they might not have that much time left."

"But, I killed the...the Soul Reaver." San said. If Dumai and Ashitaka were still alive, then why didn't they come back yet?

"When a Soul Reaver takes a soul," Fugo quickly retorted, "the soul is automatically sent to the Spirit Realm. Normally, souls enter an Epoch after the body dies, but Reavers are able to send them right into any plane in the Spirit Realm. Your friends could be anywhere."

"That doesn't help me!" San raised her voice. "I have to find them now!"

"How are you going to look? You don't have the ability to travel between planes!" Fugo stood up and stared right at San, who looked down at the ground. A pair of insect spirits flew by her feet, glittering as they moved through the air. San began to cry.

Fugo looked down at San. "...You're lucky you met me, because I know someone who can."

San immediately looked up. "Who!?"

The spirit laughed. "Any spirit can travel between the planes, silly! Although, it is fairly costly to transport more than yourself. I can go ask someone else to lend his energy if you want."

San smiled. "Please do!" San knew Ashitaka had gone through many difficulties in trying to rescue San when she was carried off into the Spirit Realm before. She wanted to return that favor in whatever way she could.

"Be right back!" Fugo said as she darted off back towards the bath house. Alone, San gazed around to get a better look at the place she was suddenly in. Spirits were everywhere, in all shapes and sizes, flying in the sky and walking on the ground. They all spoke the same language as San, which she found strange. The sky was a dark blue, littered with clouds. A chilly breeze blew in the air, causing San to cross her arms together to try and stay warm.

Before long, San saw Fugo running back. Behind her was a man. He looked human, confusing San.

"You're even luckier he agreed to help!" Fugo said, out of breath. The man walked past Fugo and bowed deeply to San.

"Nice to meet you," He said. "You can call me Haku."

Haku led San and Fugo to a grassy field away from the bath house before turning to face the two.

"Fugo told me what happened," He said. San noticed how his blue hair swayed in the breeze. "Soul Reavers never come by this plane, so it would be safe to assume they are pretty far away from common gathering spots. I might be able to locate your friends if your connection to them is deep enough."

"Please," Was all San could say. Haku held his hands out, which San took. Images flooded her mind of all the time she spent with Ashitaka. All of the good and bad were brought back up as San transfered those memories over to Haku.

A blue aura surrounded the man. He quickly let go of San and turned to face Fugo. Fugo began to glow as well as the two fell into deep concentration. They both held out a hand towards San, who took each one.

With that, the scenery changed. San found herself riding on the back of a dragon. The sudden change came as a shock to her, who nearly fell off of the dragon in response. Fugo held her in place.

"Don't worry," Fugo said.

San looked around. There was nothing but darkness surrounding them. The dragon she rode emitted a bright, blue light as it flew in the air.

"That's Haku," Fugo said. "He's a water dragon spirit, by the way."

"Amazing..." San said as the darkness around them quickly changed, revealing a vast ocean underneath them. San had never seen anything as amazing as that before. A sun was setting in the distance, reflecting orange light off of the water. The clouds were white and thick enough to lay on. It was such a peaceful sight.

"Are we getting closer?" San asked.

Fugo shifted around a little. "Haku and I are shifting planes and checking if the signal gets stronger. It is sort of a random process, but I feel we'll be able to locate them before long!"

Haku spoke up. "Don't worry. We'll find them."

The scenery changed once more, this time revealing a collection of metal structures emitting lots of light. San had never seen anything like them before, but the plane changed again before she could process any more. Next, she found herself above a giant tree. A large , gray creature was sitting in it, dozing off. Again, the plane changed.

"This is it!" Both Fugo and Haku spoke at the same time. San found herself hovering over a giant mountain, bigger than anything she had ever seen before. Haku descended slowly, landing on a cliff on one side of the mountain. With a blue light, the dragon once again looked like a man.

"Thank you, but where are they?" San said, looking around.

"I can feel their energy here," Haku said, looking up at the mountain. "This is..."

"Seishin" Fugo finished. "The phoenix spirit of the northern mountains."

San's eyes widened. Phoenix spirit...that was the source of Ashitaka's curse!

"The Seishin grew corrupt from hatred," Haku explained. "Its hatred caused a great fire in the mortal world. Many people who lived on the mountain were killed, their souls reaved by the power of the Seishin. Many spirits have tried to calm it, but the Seishin just grew even more corrupt."

"Have you met it before?" San asked.

"Only once. A long time ago, before the corruption. I've tried to stay away ever since."

"So...Ashitaka and Dumai...are captured by the Seishin?"

"Probably," Fugo said. "This place is where many Soul Reavers gather. If what you told me about your friend's curse is true...I would believe that the Seishin would want him alive, to spread the curse, to spread the hatred. I don't understand why he would kill him."

"Don't say that." Haku quickly said. Fugo looked at San, who trembled, before quickly apologizing.

"I shouldn't have said that," Fugo gave a light chuckle. "Like I said, there is a way to save them."

"How?" San asked.

"Having your soul reaved is different from being killed. If you can release the suffering of the soul, then it will return to its body. There was a group I heard of before, calling themselves the Forsaken, who reaved the souls of a small village. Someone came in and released the souls from that suffering. It's bound to work if we do it here."

"They are...suffering right now?" San couldn't bear to stand after thinking of what Ashitaka and Dumai were going through.

Haku placed a hand on San's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find them. Let's go?"

The journey up the mountain was incredibly difficult. Haku had used up the last of his energy from flying and traveling through the planes, so the three had to walk up the mountain by themselves.

The trio eventually reached a dead end. There was no other way up or around the mountain. San sighed as she began to turn and make her way back down. But, Haku kept moving forward. He placed his hand on a part of the mountainside. Slowly, he moved him hand in the shape of a triangle, moving left, up, and then back down. After he did that, he let go and placed a single finger in the center of the triangle. At that, the spot began to light up and create an outline in the mountainside, revealing a hidden passage.

"How did you know to do that?" San asked as the three made their way into the cave. Fugo began to emit a small light to illuminate the way.

"Spirits know a lot of things, but there are many more things they don't know. Word ends up spreading around, sometimes." Was all he said. San was amazed at how much information spirits could possibly have.

"Say," San spoke up after a few more minutes of walking. "What happens to spirits...if they die in the mortal world?"

"You mean spirit animals?" Haku said. "Spirits themselves cannot die, just change form. Spirit animals, however, are similar to mortals in that aspect. When they die, they go to their epoch."

"Oh," San said, disappointed. She had wanted to see her mother, Moro, again. However, she realized that might not be possible.

The cave opened up to reveal the sky again. A small set of stairs wrapped around, leading right up to the peak. They finally made it. At the top of the mountain lay a disgusting sight. Not even Haku and Fugo could handle it well.

San could clearly see the result of the corruption from the large amount of tendrils and goo-like substance covering the peak. It reeked, similar to how Okkoto smelled after San's confrontation with him in the past. However, neither Ashitaka, Dumai, or the Seishin were anywhere to be seen.

"They're not here?" San said quietly before losing hope. Haku, however, wasn't moved, and continued onwards, walking through the corruption. He made his way to the center of the peak, where the corruption was thickest, and dug a hand straight into the ground. The tendrils and goo around him began to disappear slowly, emitting smoke as it dissipated.

A loud screech bellowed in the distance. San knew exactly what that sound was, and turned to face it. A Soul Reaver flew in fast, immediately clawing at Haku. The water dragon spirit, however, rolled out of the way. San could see the bright, yellow eyes that paralyzed Dumai, and did her best to try to avoid its gaze. Another one flew in from another direction, which Haku avoided as well.

San reached for Ashitaka's sword and immediately made a swipe one of the demons. The sword was heavier than she was used to, so the swing was not fast enough to make contact. The demon flew up and swooped back down to try and catch San. Fugo jumped up and gave the demon a swift kick, knocking it sideways. Fugo grabbed Ashitaka's sword. "You seem to be better with those," She said, pointing at San's daggers.

More Soul Reavers came, each one preceded by a loud screech. There were about ten at this point, each one harassing the trio with their claws and screeches. San and Fugo managed to get hits on the demons, but none were fatal. Haku, however, was able to kill one by getting another to accidentally slash at it.

"There's no way we can win at this point!" Fugo yelled, slashing at another Reaver.

_No_, San thought. _It will not end like this_.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared from Haku. "My energy is back!" He yelled as he transformed into a dragon once again. The demons were no match for his speed, and he swatted them all off of the peak. The screeches of the Reavers could be heard as they fell far down. Haku left two unscathed; as they attempted to flee, Haku grabbed them both and pinned them to the ground.

"These two are carrying the souls!" Haku yelled to Fugo, who knew what to do next. San looked at the demons and noticed small orbs of light radiating from them both. Fugo placed a hand on each orb before looking back at San. "Their souls are trapped in a special plane. We need you to get in there and free them!"

San didn't give it a second thought as she made her way towards the demons. Fugo placed a hand on San's forehead as a bright light enveloped everything.

* * *

><p>San found herself in front of a small house. There was a small patch of land to the side containing vegetables, and a small shack for housing animals in the back. Beyond the farm was emptiness. San walked into the building. Everything was silent; not even her footsteps made noise as she entered.<p>

"I'm sorry..."

San heard a faint voice coming from somewhere in the house.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

Making her way to the main room, San saw Dumai.

"Dumai-"

He sat kneeling over two figures, a woman and a little girl. Both were lifeless. Dumai rocked back and forth, repeating the same words over and over again.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

"Dumai..." San said, immediately knowing who the two were: They were Dumai's wife and daughter. The family that was waiting for him to return. Now...

San almost lost all of her hope, but Haku's voice echoed in her mind: "None of it is real. If you can release the suffering of the soul, then it will return to its body."

That's right, San thought. Dumai's family really is waiting. They are alive and well, waiting for him to come home. She had to rescue him in order to make that happen.

San placed her hands on Dumai's shoulders. The soldier stopped talking, but continued to rock back and forth.

"This is not real. Your family is alive and well, waiting for you to return to them." San whispered in his ear. "Please, return to them. Return to us."

Dumai stopped moving. Slowly, the two figures began to fade away, revealing two dolls instead. Dumai blinked.

"Not...real..." Dumai stammered. He then looked up into San's eyes. "San..."

A bright light emerged, and San soon found herself back on the peak. Haku and Fugo were there, happy that San successfully freed Dumai.

"He will return to his body now," Fugo said. "Don't worry, his wounds will only be minor injuries."

"Now, it's time for the next one." Haku said as he released the grip on the first demon, throwing it over the side of the mountain. San got herself ready to enter.

"Ashitaka..."

* * *

><p>San found herself in Iron Town once again. However, something was definitely off about it, letting San immediately know it was not real: the entire village was set ablaze. People were running in every direction. Others were being burned alive. The wolf princess wandered through the town, watching buildings crumble and fall.<p>

Making her way to the center of the town, San saw the cause: the Seishin was here, hovering above the town. Its wings were spread majestically as the signs of corruption could be seen all over its body. Below it stood Ashitaka.

San began to run to the warrior, but Ashitaka leaped in the air in an attempt to attack his foe. The phoenix dodged swiftly and swung its tail into Ashitaka's back, driving him right into the ground.

"Ashitaka!"

But, the warrior stood up again and tried the same tactic. The same result happened.

"Why are you doing this..." San asked herself. She knew Ashitaka was suffering, but there was no need for him to do so alone. She would always be with him.

That was when she saw it. Out of the corner of her eye, San spotted a white figure laying in front of a burning building. She immediately recognized it as herself, noticing that her counterpart was stabbed through the chest. She knew that was what was fueling Ashitaka's rage.

As heartwarming as San felt in that moment, San knew she had to break Ashitaka out of his suffering. Nothing here was real except for Ashitaka and herself. Knowing that, she ran right up to the warrior.

"Ashitaka!"

The warrior turned and stared in shock. San ran up to him and gave him a big hug, causing him to lower his arms and return it.

"I thought you died..." Ashitaka said softly. "I...I didn't know what to do. I didn't think it was real."

"It isn't." San said. "None of this is."

With that, the village began to fade away. The villagers, the buildings, and the fire all disappeared, leaving behind a black darkness. The only thing that remained, however, was the Seishin.

"Well done," it roared. "Who would have thought you'd be able to get into the spirit realm and find this plane...I'll just have to kill the spirits who helped you."

"Don't you dare!" San yelled back. "We will kill you right here and now!"

The phoenix spirit laughed. "You think you have a chance!?" The darkness around them began to break, revealing the peak once more. Ashitaka's body turned clear, becoming a soul again. It then disappeared, to be reunited with its body in the real world.

To Haku and Fugo, San reappeared like she was supposed to. However, a bright, orange light emerged from the orb, revealing the Seishin in its full capacity. It towered over the dragon, bellowing flames and flapping its wings.

"Ah, Haku..." The Seishin roared as it looked down at the three. The corruption grew stronger is flames poured out of the spirit's beak. In one swoop, Haku picked up Fugo and San and flew off of the peak. All San could hear was laughter as the three shifted planes. The wolf princess found herself staring at the bath house again, free from the Seishin's grasp.

"Why doesn't he follow us?" San asked. "Why hasn't he attacked anyone else in the Spirit Realm?"

"He is bound to the real world right now." Haku replied. "He can only step foot in a plane connected to his real-world body. That's why he, as well as other demons, try to spread their curse. So his sphere of influence can grow."

"If you want to defeat him," Fugo added. "You have to do so in your own world."

Although disappointed at that news, San was glad she was able to find Ashitaka and Dumai. "Thank you both so much," She said with a bow after getting off of the dragon. "I don't know how I can repay your kindness."

"Just worship us," Fugo joked. The three of them let out a light laugh.

"If you ever need me, or Fugo, just call our names." Haku added, nodding at the wolf princess. With that, he placed one hand on San's shoulder again. A bright light enveloped San as the bath house, Fugo, and Haku disappeared. Opening her eyes again, San found herself inside the cave once more.

The first thing she heard was Dumai's voice. "What just happened?"

With a gasp, San looked up to see Dumai, alive and well. She then looked to her right to see Ashitaka trying to get up. With tears in her eyes, she moved over to the warrior, gently helping him sit up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah...what was that? I thought we..." Ashitaka noticed the dead demon on the other side of the room.

San didn't let him finish as she gave him a hug. "It doesn't matter now. You're both okay...I didn't know what I would do if I lost you."

"I'm not going anywhere." Ashitaka said. San let out a cry and tightened her grip.

Outside, the snow had died down. Mori, Yakul, and Dumai's horse all entered the cave, noticing the three who survived the ordeal.

"I think it would be best if we found another place to rest." Mori said, noticing the demon as well.

"You're right," San said with a laugh.

* * *

><p>The next few days were spent with more traveling and resting. Nothing interesting happened to the group, besides Ashitaka nearly falling off of Yakul as a swarm of birds flew by them.<p>

Before long, a small town appeared before them. It sat next to a giant body of water, with a giant mountain far in the distance on the other side. San couldn't help but feel strange when staring at the town, as if she had been there before. It was impossible, however, since she had been living in her forest for as long as she could remember.

"This is it." Dumai said with a sigh of relief. "The end of Honshu."

The town was a fishing community, so there were lots of boats sitting around all over that would be able to take them into Hokkaido. However, a cold and icy rain began to fall as they approached the town. The wind began to pick up as well, as if a storm had just appeared and descended on the village. The waters raged and the wind howled and burned. Deciding to take refuge until the storm died down, the three searched to find a place to rest.

Ashitaka pointed out an inn, which they quickly entered. The price to stay was not that expensive, luckily, and the food was not bad as well.

"My husband owns a boat," One of the ladies told them. "When the storm dies down, he could take you over to Hokkaido if you want."

"Thank you, we appreciate it." Ashitaka, San, and Dumai all said with a bow. With that, they were led into their room. The room had three futons rolled out already, waiting for them to use. The room itself was fairly large enough for the three of them. The animals all waited outside in the animal pen.

Dumai quickly fell asleep. Ashitaka and San, however, were both kept up by the storm. San still had that strange feeling, which grew even stronger as she lay there.

"San," Ashitaka whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," San replied. "Get some rest, you need it."

Ashitaka dozed off a few minutes later. San, however, stayed up for a good portion of the night. _Whatever that feeling is_, San thought, _I'll find out if I stay here long enough_.

The next morining, Ashitaka woke up bright and early. It was the best rest he had in a very long time. As he rose, he saw Dumai still sleeping in a corner of the room. However, San was gone.


	24. San's Story Part 4

**Chapter 24 - San's Story Part 4**

* * *

><p>San woke up early in the morning, after a very uneasy and short rest. Her wolf instincts were kicking in as she could catch the scent of something familiar to her. What the wolf princess first did was leave the inn and head down to the docks.<p>

Many of the fishing boats were docked due to the continuing storm. The icy rain and wind had calmed down a little, but it still persisted as San ventured through the small town. As cold as she felt, San knew she had to find whatever the source of this strange scent was.

Wandering through the quiet docks, San felt the scent grow stronger as she approached one fishing vessel. It was a small and shabby fishing boat, although San could tell it was well-used. However, neither the smell of fish nor anything else on the boat provided the source of the scent. San knew the owner of this boat had to be the  
>one.<p>

"Why do I even know this smell?" San asked herself under her breath as she walked away from the boat. She had never left her forest before her travels with Ashitaka, and she had never smelled this scent during the journey...

As she pondered this, the wolf girl slipped and fell to the ground, falling right into a mud puddle. The sudden surge of cold and wet mud combined with the icy rain to give chills to the girl all over.

"Are you okay? What are you doing out here?"

The voice of a man came from one of the nearby houses. He rushed out to where San lay and tried to help her up. At first, San refused, but the scent was extremely strong at this point; whoever it was, he was the source.

San looked up. It was just an average fisherman. He had just gotten ready for the day, as San could tell by the fresh clothing he wore. He was an older fellow, with graying hair and a kindly face. "Come inside where it's warmer," The man said as he led San into his house.

The house was fairly large for a fisherman's house, although nothing really stuck out to San. The man led her into a large room with a fire pit. An older woman sat near it, getting the flames nice and hot.

"What's this?" The woman asked as the man led San right in front of the fire.

"She slipped on the mud outside."

"Oh, you poor thing," The woman immediately got up. "I'll get you something to dry off. You should also take those clothes off...I'll be right back." She said as she left the room.

San did not want to take advantage of these people's hospitality, but the mysterious scent was at its strongest now; she couldn't leave now. Turning towards the man again, San tried to remember if she had ever seen him before.

The man, however, did not notice as he went to attend to the fire. After a few minutes, the woman returned with a large cloth.

"This should do. Come, follow me," She said with a smile. San followed.

The wolf princess shirked out of her clothes and found herself wrapped in a large cloth, sitting in front of a fire. San began to sneeze, signaling that her time outside had taken its toll on her.

"You're not from around here," The woman said, taking a seat across from San. "But...I can't help but think that we've met somewhere before."

San could not place it, although the woman's scent was definitely familiar. "I'm sorry, I don't seem to remember. Have you been south recently?"

"Oh, we haven't left this town in about twenty years," The man said as he finished up with the fire. It was now warm and hearthy. As soon as he said that, both his and his wife's faces fell.

"I'm sorry to intrude," San said, noticing how they both looked.

"It's okay," The woman replied. "It's just...hard to think about."

"May I ask what happened?"

The man took a place next to his wife, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Back then, I used to be a traveling merchant, selling all sorts of things all over the land. I met my wife about twenty years ago, down near a place called Kii. She was a servant for the local lord, but was treated very badly. I took a chance and ran away with her."

The woman continued. "We traveled east. Before long...we had a child together. A daughter."

San felt something heavy drop in her chest.

"We named her Sakura, after the cherry blossoms we saw the day she was born. After she was born, we decided to travel farther east, to find a place to settle down and truly become a family."

Sakura. San's chest tightened up.

"But..." The woman began to tear up. The man picked up where she left  
>off.<p>

"We were passing through a forest when we were attacked by a wolf. It was a giant one, bigger than anything I had ever seen. In a panic...we left our Sakura behind and ran."

"You!" San's voice shot through the tension.

_No way,_ she thought to herself. _These are...these two are...my...my..._

"I know, it was a horrible thing to do." The woman cried into her hands. "The worst thing any parent could have done to their child...If I could take it back, I would."

San wanted to stand up and leave. How could she stand to be in the same room as the people who left her behind, who left her to die in order to save themselves? Why would she want to be with such selfish people?

Before she could, however, the man spoke up. "After that, we went north and eventually ended up here...I gave up my traveling and decided to become a fisherman. We had a son a few years later, and a daughter after that...she will be turning ten in just a few days. After what happened with Sakura, I wanted to make things right and raise my family the best I could."

"Does that make things right for...for Sakura?" San said without any emotion. The only response was a gasp from the woman as she broke into tears again.

Wait...son and daughter? San had...has a brother and sister? Are they even considered her brother and sister?

"Father,"

A young man walked into the room. He was just a little taller than San and had a slightly muscular build. As soon as he saw San in her current state, he blushed and quickly averted his gaze.

"Oh, I'm sorry! What is going on here?"

"Oh, she is just passing through. She fell outside in the cold rain." The man replied. "Good morning, Haru."

"Good morning," The man known as Haru, San's brother, replied as he bowed. "I'm going to go check on our boat. Excuse me." Without another word, Haru went out into the cold.

"Well," The man continued. "No matter how we look at it, it's done. We can only move on..."

San wanted to punch him, to let out all her anger, but something moved from behind him.

A little girl ran into the room, shouting good morning as she ran right up to San.

"Mio! Don't be rude!" The woman said to the girl. The little girl, known as Mio, just stared right into San's eyes.

San had to rub her eyes as she looked at the little girl. She looked just like San did when San was that age, although Mio was obviously well-groomed and raised by humans. The resemblance was uncanny.

"H-hello." San said awkwardly to her sister. Mio did nothing but stare back, looking right into San's eyes. After a few seconds, Mio began to smile and gave San a big hug.

"Mio!" The girl's mother called, but the little girl did not let go.

San was just as confused, but she knew that look. It was the look of seeing someone for the first time in years. The girl felt warm as she embraced the wolf girl, which San quickly returned. Wrapping her arms slowly around Mio, San felt some emotions she had never felt before.

Mio whispered into San's ear, "Welcome home," before getting up and moving to her mother's side.

San didn't know what to think; here were the humans she was related to: her father, mother, brother, and sister. Here they all were. Together. Living on without San. San didn't know if she wanted to join the family, or just leave them all behind in disgust. There was no way she could forgive her parents for leaving her to die. Her life would have been much different if they had not done something so stupid and selfish.

However,

San knew that if they had not done that, that San would not be who she was today. She would not have met Ashitaka. She would not have been cared for and loved by Moro and her wolf brothers. She would not have lived in the forest she had a deep love for. She would not be San, but Sakura.

She didn't know how, but she knew that Mio knew who San really was. They had never met before, but the little girl could tell. Better than her parents, at least. To them, San was just someone who seemed familiar.

The woman suddenly got up. "I will get some food ready. You must be starving, dear..." She said as she left the room. The man went out to follow her.

"Mio, be nice to our guest."

Alone with Mio, the two just stared at each other. San blushed as she covered herself up with the blanket. The girl stood up and walked right up to San, sitting down next to the wolf princess.

San was not too used to dealing with people; dealing with a little girl like this was even tougher.

Mio was the one who broke the silence. "Are you coming to live with us now?"

"W-what?" San stammered. Mio just sat staring up at the girl. San couldn't help but get over how similar Mio looked to herself. When she found herself staring at the girl, San quickly got up, holding the cloth over herself.

Mio giggled and ran out of the room, leaving San alone next to the fire. The rain continued to pour down outside, creating a somewhat relaxed atmosphere.

The woman eventually came back, holding a tray of food San had never seen before.

"Here, please eat this." She said, placing the tray down on a nearby table and placing a pair of wooden sticks next to them.

"Thank you," San replied and reached for the chopsticks. She remembered using them during her meal back in Kyoto, and assumed that it was common to eat with them.

The food tasted good to San, who had never had food like this before she set out with Ashitaka. It was not as good as the food she had in Nobunaga's presence, but it was still good. And it was made by her parents.

"Thank you for the food. I should be going now." San stated after finishing up. The woman left the room and came back with San's dried clothes.

"It hasn't been that long, but these are a little drier than they were before."

"Thank you." San said plainly, dressing herself. The rain did not let up, but San wanted to leave as soon as possible. She didn't want to have her parents "care" for her any longer. Why should they now, if they already left her to die years before?

"You're going to leave now? It's still raining out, but..." The woman held out a long object for San. She hesitantly took it, not knowing what it was.

"Open it." The woman urged.

San unhooked a piece of metal attached to the cloth, and it quickly expanded in front of her. San jumped, dropping the object. The woman laughed.

"It's like you've never seen one before. Here, this can protect you from the rain. So you won't get wet."

They walked outside, where the woman stood under the rain. San saw the water drop onto the cloth and bounce right off, keeping the woman dry underneath. She stared in amazement as the woman walked back.

San took the object back, bowing as she did.

"You can keep it," The woman said. "Think of it as a gift from us."

A gift.

"T-thank you," San said awkwardly and bowed again. She turned and walked out into the rain. The rain falling onto the cloth made sounds as they bounced off, causing San to look up for a second to see what was going on.

Quietly, the wolf princess walked back towards the docks. When she got there, she saw Haru on the boat she had sniffed out before. He was tying some knots together in order to keep the boat in place. San soon found herself walking towards her brother.

He noticed she was there and waved. "What are you doing out in the rain again?" He asked sheepishly.

San looked at the boat. "W-would you be able to give me and my friends a ride?...When the rain stops, of course..."

Haru pondered for a moment, and nodded. "Sure, I don't see why not! Father always told us to help anyone who needs it."

"Your sister needed it."

Haru looked down. "...Mother and father told you the story, I assume..."

The sound of the rain was all that persisted in the air.

"You know," Haru finally spoke up. "Every day, I think about Sakura. I've never met her, but I always wondered what she looks like, what kind of person she is, and what she is doing now."

"..You think she's alive?"

Haru nodded. "Of course I do. When I went south to follow a deer a few years ago, I saw a pack of wolves. They attacked the deer, but then they began to fight among themselves. I scared away the other wolves and went to the injured one, ready to take its life for its fur...butt it stared right at me...it gave me a look as if it knew it was hurt and wanted me to help. So, I did. Luckily, the other wolves didn't hurt her too badly, so I was able to patch her up and help her get away. We I traveled through the woods with her for a bit, and we came across some wolves that appeared to be her parents and siblings. I let her go, and the other wolves stared at me...as if thanking me."

"Basically, what I'm trying to say is that...that the animals are a lot smarter and better than we think they are. I'm sure that the wolves saw my sister laying there, sad and crying and unable to defend herself, and they took her in. They wouldn't just kill her; I just have a feeling that they wouldn't."

San smiled at what her brother said. "Thank you," she said abruptly.

Haru looked confused. "Don't tell my parents about that! We're not really allowed to wander too far from the village."

The wolf princess laughed. "I won't. I promise."

Haru laughed as well. "And I won't tell either."

This time, San was the one who was confused.

"Your clothing. Wolf pelts. You look a lot like Mio. Unlike my parents, I can put it all together." Haru walked forward and hugged San. San realized that he knew, and returned the hug.

"I wanted to say something, to tell them that I was that girl they left all those years ago...but what would the point be? They moved on in their lives, and I have my own life to live."

"I understand," Haru said before releasing his grip. "When the rain clears, I will let you and your friends cross. I owe you that, at least."

San smiled. "I have a...my wolf brother traveling with me too. Hopefully that won't change your mind?"

Haru laughed. "I trust you."

The wolf princess made her way back to inn when she saw Ashitaka standing outside. He didn't seem to notice her, so she decided to run up and surprise him.

"Hey!" San called out as she gave him a hug from behind. She held the cloth on a stick over the both of them. Ashitaka was drenched, but San held him tight anyway.

The move seemed to surprise Ashitaka. "Where have you been? Dumai and I were looking everywhere for you!"

"I'm sorry," San said. "I met some people who are..."

Ashitaka laughed.

"What is so funny?"

"I think it's great that you are talking to people more now. Remember when we first met?" San remembered those days before meeting Ashitaka. The world was a simpler place for her back then. Her world ended at the edge of the forest. Now, everything was so different. San was thankful for everything that she had learned and experienced.

And it would have never happened if she were not left behind by her parents. Left to die.

San changed the subject. "I found someone who can give us a ride when the rain stops."

Ashitaka smiled. "And you were able to request something? You really have changed!"

San smiled back before turning to walk into the inn.

* * *

><p>San had not left the inn for the remainder of her stay in the village. It was about three days before the rain cleared. When it did, Ashitaka signaled for the trio to gather their belongings and get ready.<p>

Haru was waiting at the docks when San and the others approached. Her brother's boat was just big enough to fit most of San's party; Dumai's horse would have to be left behind if they wanted to move on. Haru jumped a little when he saw the wolf, but Mori paid him no mind.

Ashitaka bowed when he faced San's brother. "Thank you for letting us use your boat to cross." He said, holding his right arm. Haru looked discouraged, but smiled and bowed back.

Dumai approached, holding his horse behind him. "I think this guy won't be able to make the trip...I would appreciate it if you took him as payment." The soldier smiled as he handed the reins over. Haru accepted them with another bow and quickly took the horse away from the docks. He returned shortly after, holding some boxes of food and supplies.

"My mother prepared these for you. For your journey." San accepted the boxes humbly. As the others got onto the boat, Haru looked at San.

"You are traveling with...interesting people. I hope you will all be safe on your journey."

"We've been together all this time," San replied, "and I hope to keep it that way." San didn't forget about what happened with the reaper. She vowed to herself right there that she would make sure Ashitaka's curse is lifted, even if she had to die for it.

The boat set sail at dawn. Slowly, but surely, the boat treaded the recently-calm waters. San could see their destination in the distance, ready to climb it and face the demon spirit that inhabited the mountain. Mori and Yakul were trying to adjust to being on a boat, while Ashitaka and Dumai tried to comfort them both.

San was still not used to being on a boat, and began to feel a little sickness creep up on her. She moved to the back of the boat in order to lay down. When she did, something moved right next to her. The sudden noise caused her to jump up and scream, pulling out her blades in retaliation.

Mio stood up from behind a couple of crates. San sighed and put her blades away. The others had noticed the little girl was here soon after.

"Mio? What are you doing here!?" Haru scolded his sister. "Father forbids you from being on the boat!"

"I wanted to see San one more time." She said solemnly before giving the wolf princess a hug. San cried a little and returned the favor. The waves began to increase in strength as they continued their embrace.

"Come visit us again." Mio said into San's shoulder, tightening her tiny grip.

"I will," San replied. Running her fingers through Mio's hair, it felt like she was touching the hair on her own head.

They soon released their grips to have the entire boat start rocking. The waves had picked up even more strength as everyone on board began to stumble back and forth. Clouds appeared in the sky once again, turning the atmosphere into a dark one once again. Before long, water fell from the sky as it began to rain.

"Hold on to something!" Haru said as he tried to steer the boat. The waves crashed up against the boat, splashing water all over the place. The rain began to fall down harder on them.

San fell to the floor after another rocking wave. She looked up to see Mio holding onto the side of the boat, terrified at what was happening.

"This is why father doesn't want you on the boat!" Haru called back to Mio, trying to steady the boat. "Here comes a big one!"

The boat arched over a wave, jumping into the air for a few seconds. San held onto a rope tied to the floor, but she let go when she saw Mio fly up into the air and fall over the side.

"Mio!"

San immediately jumped out of the boat and into the water.

"San!"

Both Haru and Ashitka called to San when they saw her go over. Ashitaka ran to the side of the boat in an attempt to see where San and Mio had gone.

San, meanwhile, tried to swim through the rough waves. She could see Mio in the distance being carried away by the waves, flailing her arms.

"San!" She yelled. "I can't...h-help me!" The little girl fell under the waves a few times and tried to scream, but water would keep getting into her mouth.

The waves made it hard for San to reach her sister, but the woman did her best to make it. Mio would go under for a few seconds, then resurface for a few more. Eventually, Mio didn't come back up.

That was when San dove underwater. She could see Mio sinking, unconscious from the ordeal. She did her best to try and reach the girl, but the current kept trying to pull Mio away.

As if by a miracle, San caught up to the poor girl. She made her way back to the surface, carrying Mio with her.

"Here!" Ashitaka's voice carried over the waves. "Take this!"

Ashitaka threw a long rope over the side of the boat, which San took quickly. Ashitaka, Dumai, and Haru all pulled in order to bring the two back onto the boat.

After getting on, San laid Mio on the floor. She was not breathing. In tears, San tried to wake her sister up.

"Mio? Mio!"

But it was no use. San burst into tears as the rain around them continued on.

"Wait."

Haru moved to position himself right next to Mio.

"There is a trick my father taught me, if people are lost to the ocean." The boy proceeded to place his hands on Mio's stomach. San had no idea what was happening, but she looked on as she continued to cry. As Haru did what he was doing, San began to ask for the water spirit to help.

When the little girl began to cough, San's mind became full of joy. She hugged Mio tightly as her tears ran down her face, mixing with the ocean water and the rain.

"I'm glad you're safe!" San exclaimed. Haru joined in on the hug as well.

Mio looked up at San. "You saved me. Sister." She said softly before closing her eyes. San looked surprised for a second, but saw that the girl was still breathing; she was merely sleeping - exhausted from what had happened.

The rest of the journey was safe and uneventful. The storm began to  
>let up after Mio was saved, with a sunny sky waiting for them as they<br>landed in Hokkaido.

"Don't tell you-our parents about this." San whispered to Mio after they got off of the boat. Mio giggled and hugged her sister again.

"I won't."

"You will still be in trouble for sneaking onto the boat." Haru said. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you...What do you think mother and father would feel, losing another child!"

Mio began to cry. "I'm sorry."

San looked at her brother. "They didn't lose me...they left me." She said with closed fists.

The three siblings grew quiet. Mio sobbed quietly.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell them?" Haru looked at San.

San nodded. "There is no point in doing so now." She said. "I have a new life that I need to return to, once this journey is over."

"I understand. But, please visit sometime."

"I will."

Mio tugged on San's clothing. "Be safe." She said before hugging her sister one final time.

San felt happy then. Even though she wouldn't be able to forgive her parents, she was happy that she could see them and see her siblings. They were good kids. They had a good life waiting for them.

Meanwhile, San had her own life, separate from her family. She had a new family to protect and care for, and a mission she would see through to the end.

However, for the first time, San felt more human than she had ever felt before. The bond she could feel with her siblings was something she knew only humans would be able to have. The bond she shared with her wolf brothers, and even with Moro, was much different. That was the final signal.

San remembered what the wolf queen Ikki said to her: "You want to think of yourself as a wolf, but you are not! You are human, yet you can never be one. There is an entire world out there that you can never understand."

Right at that moment, San knew that Ikki was wrong. As Mio and Haru returned to the boat and sailed away, San said to herself,

"I am a wolf. I am a human. I am San."


	25. The Climb

**Chapter 25 - The Climb**

* * *

><p>"My village is about a day away, if we keep this pace up." Dumai made it to the top of a hill and looked down to see his traveling companions. Ashitaka was still getting used to the change in terrain as he led Yakul up the path. San trailed behind him with her brother in tow.<p>

The three had begun climbing up the giant mountain. It was surrounded by hills and trees. The hill they were on now had a great view of the ocean and the village below, where they were dropped off by San's brother and sister. The trees stretched from end to end, creating a sea of green that was simply beautiful to look at. In addition, the great mountain in the background added to the scenery. It was huge compared to the three of them, but their goal was to reach the top. That was where everything would end.

Dumai's village, as he explained, was a small one higher up the path. It overlooked a cliff on the other side of the mountain. The land was fertile enough for crops to grow, with access to a great spring nearby for water. Before going off to fight, Dumai was a farmer who owned his own land.

"When we get there, I'll show you guys some real homemade cooking!" The soldier said with a smile. Ashitaka thought about the demon, the phoenix at the top of the mountain. The phoenix that could destroy villages.

"You might find that the village is different than what you remember..." Ashitaka said it, but later thought it sounded pretty cold.

"True, it has been a long time since I left." Dumai scratched his head. "I wonder what changes they've made."

Ashitaka nearly lost his footing as he made his way along the mountain path, almost taking Yakul down with him. His right arm pained him more now than it ever did as he gripped it tightly. The curse covered most of his face and chest now, with a small portion of it finally reaching his left shoulder. If they didn't make it, Ashitaka wouldn't know what would happen. He had been able to fight off the anger and control his powers, but if the curse were to fully spread...

San placed her hand on Ashitaka's shoulder, breaking his train of thought. He snapped back to reality and looked at the wolf princess. They both smiled.

A small area off of the mountain path was designated as their stopping location. A small stream nearby provided them with fish and drinking water. Ashitaka made a fire, Mori and Dumai caught the fish, and San collected the water.

There was little talking as the five travelers relaxed and ate. Snow began to fall as Ashitaka finished his portion. He could see his breath as he exhaled and stood up.

"We can't stay here," He said. The others agreed and packed up before the snow got too heavy.

Unfortunately, the snow stayed light. While it was good that they could make progress up the mountain, they were getting pretty tired. Stopping on the side would not work; if the snow were to increase, they would surely freeze.

Before long, the three could see smoke rising in the distance. Dumai looked and stopped. "That's my village! We're here!" He shouted and began to break into a run. Ashitaka chased after him, noticing the color of the smoke.

"Dumai!"

But the soldier didn't hear him. Instead, he stopped dead in his tracks. Ashitaka finally caught up when he saw.

The village was ablaze. Houses were falling apart, walls were charred, and nobody was around. Dumai blinked a few times before bolting in another direction. Ashitaka chased after the man again.

Dumai stopped in front of a small house next to a field. The field was dead and the house was on fire.

"No...no, no, no..." Dumai muttered to himself.

Ashitaka didn't know what to say. He felt the same thing when he found his own village destroyed. However, this time a demon was the cause. Ashitaka knew that the Seishin would have attacked anything near the mountain. He was actually relieved that the village at the base of the mountain wasn't affected yet.

All he could do was place a hand on Dumai's shoulder. The soldier, who had been through many battles and witnessed much death, was in tears. His family, the ones he loved and protected, were gone. He went through hell to see them again, but they were not here. Not anymore.

Suddenly, he pulled out his own blade and turned it on himself. Ashitaka put an arm out to hold the man before he did it. Dumai struggled to break free of Ashitaka's grasp, but the warrior stood firm. Frustrated, Dumai finally let go of the sword. It clanged as it hit the hard earth.

"You can't give up! Not after what we've been through." Ashitaka said blankly. He remembered the intense pain he felt when his own village was destroyed, so he knew what Dumai was going through.

Tears came out of the soldier's eyes, but he remained silent. Here was a soldier, who had killed many during the war and had seen the death of friends and foes alike, finding that everything he was fighting for was gone. He stood up, picked up his sword, and walked away from the house. Ashitaka went to follow him.

The village was empty and silent. It was no use trying to look for anyone, but Dumai checked every single building anyway. Ashitaka and San stood quietly as Dumai rummaged through the burned debris.

The group was able to salvage a few supplies for the remainder of the journey up the mountain; Ashitaka thought it was best that they spent the rest of the night in the village.

Ashitaka looked up to see the mountain looming over them. The fires had finally gone out, leaving black smoke in its place. As he gathered up the supplies in preparation for the rest of the journey up the mountain, he looked over to Dumai, who just sat in front of what remained of his house. He sat motionless with his head down. Ashitaka thought of Iron Town, his new home. He wondered what he would do if something were to happen to it. The Forest Spirit did almost destroy the village before, but luckily Ashitaka and San were there to stop him. Thinking of that made him feel guilty; if they had gotten here earlier, they might have been able to save the village. Instead, they were swept up in the war. While they helped bring peace to the land, many were sacrificed along the way.

It was time he put a stop to it. Once and for all.

The path farther up the mountain grew steeper and more dangerous. It began to snow more and more, prompting the group to stop and rest for a short while. It impeded progress, but Ashitaka felt that it was better to get there in good condition. If they die from the snow, their entire journey would have been for nothing. Ashitaka would not allow that.

Fortunately, there were plenty of animals in the area to keep them fed, save for Yakul. Because of the snow, it became harder to find grass for the elk to graze on. As they traveled up a slope, Ashitaka felt Yakul give out from underneath him. The two slipped and fell back down to the bottom of the slope. When this happened, San immediately jumped off of Mori and rushed to their aid. Yakul had fallen on top of Ashitaka, trapping him underneath. Ashitaka banged his leg on the way down, getting it crushed under Yakul at the bottom. Intense pain flowed through the warrior, but his attention was focused on Yakul. Blood soaked the snow under his leg, but Ashitaka didn't care as he tried to make sure Yakul was okay.

"Yakul...Yakul! Are you okay?" Ashitaka tried to move his partner. Yakul turned his head for a moment as the two looked into each other's eyes. Ashitaka saw the light fade from Yakul's eyes as his head slowly fell down onto the snow.

San and Dumai both tried to lift Yakul up in order to free Ashitaka. "Wait!" Ashitaka yelled. "Be gentle with him!" The two listened and gently lifted Yakul up in order to free Ashitaka. Mori came over and pulled Ashitaka out from underneath since he could not move himself.

When it was done, Ashitaka threw himself on top of his elk. "It's going to be okay, Yakul." Ashitaka had tears begin to form in his eyes. The elk did not respond. "Yakul?"

San had her head down. "Ashitaka...He is gone."

"He can't be!" Ashitaka yelled. More snow began to fall on the group. Ashitaka tried to wipe away the snow forming on Yakul, but it soon grew to be too big of a task. "No...No!" The warrior fell in defeat over his companion. The elk he had shared most of his adventures with lay dead in the snow, on a snowy mountain far away from their home.

* * *

><p>Ashitaka remembered when he first met Yakul. He was still a little boy in his village, learning the ways of his village in preparation for becoming the leader. Kaya was with him in the woods on an adventure. They were recently told about the marriage proposal and began to play together. The forest was very large to the two of them, who had never gone in without adults before. Ashitaka wanted to prove he was strong and hunt down an animal to bring back.<p>

They came across an Elk getting water next to a lake. Ashitaka held his arm out to stop Kaya as he drew his bow and arrow. He had been practicing for a while now and was waiting to be able to finally prove his skills. "Are you really going to?" Kaya whispered from behind. Ashitaka nodded and drew the string back.

Just a second later, Ashitaka saw the elk drop. His arrow hit right in a vital part, killing the animal. Ashitaka let out a laugh as he rushed over to look at his prize. When he got closer, he saw something smaller run away from the dead elk: a fawn. Ashitaka's grin went away as he realized that he killed the fawn's mother right in front of him. Kaya noticed the fawn too and ran to try and calm it down. He hid under a bush, shaking and huddling from the shock. Ashitaka dropped his bow and tried to talk to the animal.

"It's okay...I won't hurt you." He tried to inch closer. The little elk looked like it was going to run away, but Kaya appeared and put her arms around him. She stroked his back and began to sing in his ears.

_Don't worry,_  
><em>Don't cry,<em>  
><em>Father will come home,<em>  
><em>Mother will always love you.<em>

The elk calmed down in her arms. Ashitaka reached over to pet him, which the elk allowed. Ashitaka smiled. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you from now on."

* * *

><p>The supplies Yakul was carrying were scattered all around. The wind blew, the snow fell, and darkness began to cover the group as they all stood silently.<p>

"He's been with me forever." Ashitaka suddenly said. "I never thought..."

San hugged the warrior from behin. "I'm sorry, Ashitaka..."

"We have to keep moving," Dumai spoke up. Ashitaka cringed at those words, but the soldier continued. "My village was destroyed. My family was killed. Your companion...if we don't kill the demon and remove your curse, all of this would be for nothing! Yakul didn't carry you all the way here without knowing that he might die. We all went on this journey knowing we might die! Hell, the two of us did die already! There's nothing that will stop us!"

"You're right," Ashitaka stood up. He placed his right arm on Yakul's body as his arm turned red. To San, it looked as if Yakul immediately disappeared. She knew Ashitaka must have taken him to the spirit realm in order to give a rightful burial. If left here, Yakul might be...She didn't want to think about it. Instead, she turned to the warrior.

"It's time to go."

Ashitaka nodded. There was no more time to feel sad now. All the warrior wanted to do now was to kill the demon, remove his curse, and return home. Nothing was going to get in his way. He began to sing the song Kaya sang in the forest all those years ago as he made his way, on foot, up the slope. The tears in his eyes stung his face as they froze, but he continued on. San, Mori, and Dumai traveled right behind him.

It was harder to continue up the mountain without Yakul. Much of the stuff they had brought had to be left behind or else they would not be able to make it very far. Considering that the snow did not let up, it proved to be very difficult indeed. Ashitaka and Yakul had been through so much, that he knew it was time that his companion got some rest. He wanted to make it to the very end, but such is life.

Ashitaka was not used to walking up the mountain since he was riding Yakul, so it took him a while to get used to it. Ashitaka took most of the stuff Yakul was carrying even though it slowed him down significantly. Whenever San or Dumai would ask to carry it, Ashitaka would just say, "I'm fine!" and continue moving. It was clear to the two of them that it was not okay.

There was one point where they could not continue onwards. The path suddenly ended, with no way to continue moving up the mountain. It had been several days since Yakul's death, and the group was getting very low on supplies. Now that they were at a dead end, Ashitaka's frustration was all let out.

"What is this!? How do we keep moving now!?" He punched the wall with his right fist. San looked around and noticed something familiar: this was the same place where Haku revealed the secret passage. She slowly walked up to the mountainside and did what the spirit did before.

The mountainside began to shake as a path opened up in front of them. Ashtiaka stood shocked as he looked to the wolf princess. "How did you know?"

"I had a feeling," San smiled.

It was dark inside the mountain. Ashitaka and Dumai lit up torches so they could make their way through. San noticed that the inside was different than in the spirit realm. The paths twisted and turned in all directions. Some areas were wide and open, while others were very narrow. Many paths led to dead ends. After a while of traversing the cave, the group began to grow distressed.

"Is it this way?" Ashitaka asked.

"I think we already went down that way," Dumai responded.

"Wait, I think that was the other way that we went through," Ashitaka turned and turned again. The torches began to grow dimmer as they soon found themselves lost. Everything looked the same, and the lack of light did not help them.

In frustration, Ashitaka let out a groan and ran in one direction. "Where are you going?" San called after him, but he did not stop. They tried to follow him, but soon lost sight of the warrior.

"This is bad," Dumai said as they made their way through.

Ashitaka did not care anymore. He ran in whichever direction he wanted to. All he wanted to do right now was fight. To kill the seishin and remove the curse. The more time he spent in the cave, the more time it would give the demon to terrorize the nearby lands. Ashitaka didn't even consider the possibility that the phoenix would not even be at the top of the mountain. If he had to, he would wait for as long as it took for the demon to return.

Soon enough, Ashitaka saw a small beam of light from around a corner. He ran towards it to find himself staring at the sky. Before he walked right off of the mountain, he held onto the cave wall as the mouth of the cave revealed a narrow path on the side of the mountain. Knowing the peak had to be right ahead, Ashitaka made no hesitation to make his way up to the top.

The warrior immediately pulled his sword out as he reached the peak. It was an open area covered in snow, but that was all. There was no demon there. Ashitaka yelled and hit his sword on a nearby wall. The color on his arm flashed black for a moment as he yelled to the sky:

"I AM HERE!"

Silence. Ashitaka put his sword away and sat down on the snow, waiting for the bird to come back. Everything Ashitaka and San had been through...everything everyone had been through all led up to this moment. He would not allow the demon to get away from him now. It was finally time to fight.

When Ashitaka opened up his eyes, it was dark. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there on the peak, waiting for the Seishin. He was still alone; San, Dumai, and Mori must still be stuck in the cave below. Ashitaka didn't care about that right now; the demon was all that was on his mind right now.

"I am amazed you could make it this far," A familiar voice hung over Ashitaka, who immediately stood and drew his sword. After turning, he came face to face with the Seishin, with the Mountain Spirit, with the demon who gave him his curse.

"It's been long enough," Ashitaka said, gripping his blade.

"You're here to kill me and remove your curse, yes?" The seishin flapped its long wings. Even in the darkness, the demon still glowed bright red. "You know that without this curse, your skill will return to normal...I know you love the power you have now."

The seishin jumped up and made its way behind Ashitaka. The warrior turned quickly to face him again. "You are nothing without me. Just accept your fate...I can see the curse has almost fully enveloped you. The longer you have it, the stronger your power will be. There will be nothing that can stop you! You will become something much greater and stronger than a weak human."

Ashitaka hesitated for a moment. Everything that he had been through on this journey and all the battles he had been a part of, he relied on his curse to get through it. Without his power, he wouldn't have saved San and Mizuki at Honno-ji, or Dumai in Kii. He wouldn't have been as much help to Oda or Hideyoshi as he was with his curse. Maybe...maybe he should let the demon's power take over...

_...No!_ Ashitaka shook the thoughts out of his head. He knew the demon was messing with him in order to get him to fall. "I won't give in." Ashitaka said. "You've caused enough death and destruction. If I kill you, all the demons you have created will die too, correct? I'm sure there are plenty out there who have been killing and terrorizing. It will all stop now!"

The demon just laughed. "You value your human ideals so strongly, fine. I will not hesitate to destroy that pride and kill you."


	26. Angry Spirits

**Chapter 26 - Angry Spirits**

* * *

><p>Ashitaka stood on the peak of the mountain, facing the foe he had been waiting for. Ever since receiving the curse from the demon dragon, Ashitaka had to live with a second set of supernatural powers. After cleansing himself the first time, he was brought back into the mess. Ashitaka declared that it would all end now. The seishin did not hesitate to attack as it started by breathing a line of fire at the warrior. Ashitaka jumped to the side as he felt the hot breath blaze past him. In response, Ashitaka swiped his sword upwards to try and connect against the demon's wings.<p>

The demon flew up out of reach and continued to rain fire down on the mountain. Ashitaka ducked and rolled from place to place to avoid the fire to the best of his ability. Looking down, Ashitaka noticed the black tint of his arm and came up with an idea.

"There's nothing you can do here," The seishin called down. "You have nowhere to hide."

Suddenly, tendrils shot up and at the demon, gripping around its talons. Ashitaka's arm turned yellow as he reached up and pulled the demon back towards him. With his left hand, the warrior took his sword and slashed down on the unsuspecting demon, getting him good on the side. Another shot of fire caused him to let go, giving the seishin enough time to fly back upwards. The energy it took to do that left Ashitaka somewhat tired, but he pushed onwards.

Ashitaka switched to his bow as the demon circled overhead, letting the black tint of his arm take over. He shot arrow after arrow into the air, managing to hit the demon with each one. The demon responded by raining more fire down on the peak. The rock wall Ashitaka had stood against began to crumble and fall apart. Ashitaka looked up to see chunks of rock falling down right on him, prompting the warrior to roll forward in order to avoid it. A quick flash of green let Ashitaka speed up enough to prevent his demise.

The seishin continued to rain fire down, showing no signs of wear. Ashitaka was surprised at how much energy the demon had, considering he felt considerably weaker now. "I won't lose to you," He shouted up at the phoenix.

He was met with a laugh. "You are fighting a spirit, a demon! You are still a mortal with those powers. If you give in to them, you will have more power than you could ever dream for!"

Ashitaka's arm turned yellow again as he shot out tendrils gripped around his sword, stabbing through the demon. It was a good hit, but the seishin responded by breathing fire right onto Ashitaka's extended arm. The pain, coupled with his lack of energy, prompted the warrior to scream and retract, leaving his sword embedded in the demon.

The seishin extended his own tendril to pull the sword out, bringing it up to his face. "What a cute little toy," he said before throwing it off the side of the mountain. Ashitaka looked on in terror as his sword fell beneath the clouds, down to the earth below. He checked his quiver to find only five arrows left. After that, he would have nothing to fight the phoenix with.

"I won't lose to you," He said again, pulling an arrow out and aiming it at the demon.

* * *

><p>"We were already here!" Dumai yelled as he stopped in the middle of the passageway. Their torch was almost about to go out, leaving them stranded in the darkness.<p>

"This is the right way," Mori said, sniffing the air. "I can smell Ashitaka. He was through here." The wolf continued onwards, followed by San, leaving Dumai alone in the dark. He stood for a moment before groaning and following the two.

The cave shook violently, causing part of the cave to collapse right behind them. "What was that!?" Dumai shouted as he jumped forward.

"Ashitaka might have made it to the top," San said, holding a hand to her chest.

"Quickly!" Mori shouted as he darted down a tunnel. Dumai quickly followed, with San taking up the rear.

"I'm ready to beat a demon to death," Dumai said, gripping his sword. "He doesn't know how mad he's made me. I will avenge my family."

San remembered when she fought against Iron Town. The vengeance she had in her was not good, she had realized. In thinking about vengeance, she forgot about other things that were just as important. At that time, it was the notion that not all humans were bad. That there was a peaceful way to solve things. She still believed she could save the Mountain Spirit, just like how she and Ashitaka saved the Forest Spirit.

"There might be another way," San called after Dumai. "We've calmed a spirit before."

Dumai stopped in his tracks. "What are you saying so suddenly?" The rage in his eyes was something San was too familiar with.

"Not only would my family be avenged, but Ashitaka's curse would go away too! What other way to do that than to kill the damn thing!?"

San remained silent.

"It's too late for that demon. You've seen how violent the world can be. There is no escaping that. We have to fight for what we believe in...sometimes being peaceful isn't enough."

"I don't want the spirits to die," San replied, clenching her fists. "The spirit wolves, the boars, and now the Spirit of the Mountain? ...There has to be another way!"

* * *

><p>Ashitaka emerged from underneath a pile of rocks. The debris did not hit him directly, but he was trapped underneath. The Seishin switched from raining fire to trying to break the peak down and crush the warrior.<p>

With only two arrows left, Ashitaka drew one on his bow, letting the black tint take over. He aimed right for between the demon's eyes. Ashitaka closed his own and let the arrow fly. With the last of his power, he sent the arrow flying faster than light as it immediately struck the demon.

Not expecting that, the Seishin fell down to the ground, knocking over another pillar of rocks. Ashitaka used this time to run over to the demon, grabbing it right on its beak with his right arm.

"Lucky hit," the Seishin grunted, trying to move. Ashitaka couldn't feel any more energy flowing through him, but he did all he could to muster up the strength. His arm began to glow yellow as tendrils emerged.

However, the Seishin was too fast. He turned a bright red as his body and beak began to heat up. Ashitaka let go due to the intense heat as a talon struck him from behind. Ashitaka fell backwards onto the ground, giving the demon room to get back up. His leg was cut, causing him pain when he tried to stand back up. The demon went to engulf Ashitaka directly, opening his mouth as wide as he could.

Ashitaka saw a flash of light. A sword appeared in between the Seishin's mouth. Dumai stood next to the warrior, holding his mouth open with his blade.

"What is this?"

Another flash of light. This time it was San, who slashed down on the demon's wings with her knives. She aimed for the tendrils that squirmed around on the demon. The seishin screamed at this as blood shot out of the slash wounds. Ashitaka saw that that must have been the demon's weakness.

"We're in this together, Ashitaka! All of us!" Dumai shouted, drawing his sword back. The demon flew up into the air, angry over the distraction.

"This just gives me more to eat!" The demon shouted from above, raining more fire down on the mountain.

"Where is your sword!?" San called out to Ashitaka, taking cover under a pile of rocks.

"He knocked it off of the mountain!" Ashitaka shouted back, rolling over to avoid a lick of fire.

"This is bad," San said to herself as she looked around to see what to do next. As the Seishin flew around the mountain, San made her way up a formation of rocks. Jumping from rock to rock, she leaped off of the top and jumped right onto the demon's wing again. The tendrils emerged from underneath the demon's feathers. San quickly slashed at them again and jumped right off. Mori appeared and jumped up to give San a place to land on.

The Seishin's wings stiffened up, hurt by the attack. Combined with Ashitaka's shot between his eyes, he actually felt weaker than before. "T-there's no way you can possibly defeat me like this!" He shouted as he began violently flapping his wings. A flaming vortex began to appear on the mountain, surrounding the group as they gathered in the center. The air grew thin as Ashitaka and the others began to run out of breath.

Hurt and tired, Ashitaka came close to passing out. He felt very lightheaded and began to fall to the ground. "Ashitaka!" San yelled, holding the warrior up, although she too began to feel the effects.

Dumai was the one who stood his ground. Holding his sword aloft, he shouted as he jumped right through the flames. His armor was scorched, but he made it through. Since the demon had to keep his wings moving in order to keep the vortex up, he was stuck in one place - and vulnerable. Dumai jumped onto the rocks like San did and lunged right for the phoenix. Slashing under the wing, he managed to hit a large group of tendrils.

Tensing up again, the vortex stopped when the demon screamed in pain again. More tendrils emerged from underneath his feathers, exposing his true demonic form. He looked less like a phoenix, and more like a blob of disgusting flesh.

San stood up after catching her breath, facing the phoenix directly. "If we destroy the demon plaguing you," She shouted up to the Seishin. "Will you be appeased?"

The demon laughed. "You think now is the time for negotiations? Don't make me laugh!" He snarled as a breath of fire escaped his beak.

"The Spirit you seek is no more. He was killed long ago. The hatred building up inside me is all the power I need."

Ashitaka raised an arm. "San!" He shouted, but San moved closer to the demon.

"We can find a way." She called. The spirit wolves, the boars, the Forest Spirit, her own mother..."I will not let another spirit die in front of me!"

"Heh," The Seishin shot out a tendril, grabbing San on her ankle and hoisting her up into the air. Dumai and Ashitaka screamed as the Seishin flew up high into the air, away from the peak. He held her upside down, laughing at his prey.

San struggled as the demon raised her up to his face. "First in the Spirit Realm, and now here. If you love the spirits so much, you should join them!"

A tendril pierced right through San's heart. She screamed, letting go of her daggers. _This is it,_ she thought to herself as the blood ran down her chest and over her face.

Another tendril. Another hit. Another scream. Another gush of blood.

Ashitaka and Dumai couldn't see what was going on up there, but when they saw her daggers fall down, they knew it was bad. Her screams caused them to freeze in horror. Her body falling from the sky made them shut down.

The wolf princess's body hit the peak hard. She fell onto a pile of snow, so the shock was not enough to make things worse than they already were. However, she was not moving.

"No!" Ashitaka ran over to her, ignoring the pain in his leg. He left a trail of blood as he made it to her side. She was dead.

The girl he said he would marry. The girl who had been with him on this journey since the beginning. The girl he would protect forever. She was dead. It was all over.

The Seishin flew down and perched on top of a rock formation. "Such a sad scene," He laughed to himself, hiding the pain he felt. "I told you that you cannot kill me-"

"Shut up."

"...What did you sa-"

"Shut up!" Ashitaka's arm turned yellow as he shot it up to the Seishin, grabbing him right on his neck. The heat did not matter. The pain did not matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Ashitaka's curse spread all through his body, finally covering up the last of his face. His entire body turned a yellow tint as tendrils emerged from all over himself. He used his other arm to shoot up at the demon as well, piercing right through his heart as well.

The demon fell to the ground, but Ashitaka continued to stab into him. Two hands, two arms of tendrils, all of it dug deep into the spirit, pulling the demon's tendrils out. The Seishin screamed, but Ashitaka continued. His transformation was complete. The warrior was not in control of his actions, but he was aware of what he was doing.

One last stab through the heart, and the Seishin's tendrils all blew up. Bloot shot everywhere as the mountain grew quiet. Dumai stood in horror at what he just witnessed. All that was left of the demon was the dead body of a phoenix. Ashitaka stood over the corpse, staring blankly into space. San's body lay near them both, still unmoving. Even Mori was shocked as he stood silently.

"Is...is it over?" Dumai cautiously asked. Was his family avenged? Was this even vengeance? With everything the demon did and put them through, was this justified?

Ashitaka turned his head slowly to Dumai. "It's over!" He said crazily. "I'm free! I'm free!"

Snow began to fall on the mountaintop as Ashitaka's crazed laugh filled the air.


	27. Freedom

**Chapter 27 - Freedom**

* * *

><p>The air stood still. Dumai could not hear anything at all as he stared at the corpses of the Seishin...and San. Ashitaka stood over the demon's body, covered in blood and with black skin. The light was gone from his eyes, which looked like nothing more than empty shells on a hollow face. The Ashitaka Dumai knew seemed to be gone, replaced by a demon. Steam rose from Ashitaka's body, filling the air with a repulsive stench.<p>

Suddenly, pieces of Ashitaka's flesh began to fall off of his body. Dumai's eyes widened as the black skin fell from the warrior's arm and onto the ground, dissipating into a black puddle. He took a step back, wary of what was to happen.

"Ashitaka?"

The light returned to the warrior's eyes. Ashitaka suddenly looked at Dumai and walked right towards him. The soldier braced himself for battle, but Ashitaka quickly placed a hand on his arm. The black skin turned red as the mountain around them disappeared around them.

Dumai soon found himself standing in an empty plane. Only he and Ashitaka were the only beings around. The soldier looked to his friend, who still sported the red tint. Dumai had a strange feeling that he had been here before, possibly the same feeling when his soul was reaved by that demon in the cave.

"What is going on!?" Dumai asked with a shaky voice. Everything that had happened was too much for him to handle.

Ashitaka responded by pushing Dumai backward. The soldier fell to the ground as a bright light appeared between the two. It was scorching hot and blinding to look at, prompting Dumai to raise an arm to shield his eyes.

When the light dimmed down, Dumai moved his arm to find the Seishin hovering before him. Its wings were just as large as they were before; its face was fierce and angry.

"I thought you killed it already!?" Dumai shouted to Ashitaka.

Finally, Ashitaka spoke again. "I only killed its mortal form. The demon still lives in the Spirit Realm."

The demon just flapped its wings and soared through the air. Dumai noticed that it looked much stronger than in the real world. He gripped his own blade, ready to fight.

Suddenly, Ashitaka grabbed the soldier by the wrist. Dumai felt something surge through him, but he did not know what. The action distracted him, who turned to see what Ashitaka was doing.

"What is this?"

"I'm transfering some of my power to you. Now that the curse has fully spread, I have the ability to transfer it...like how that dragon passed it to me."

"You're giving me a curse!?"

"You have to trust me. I cannot defeat him alone."

"...You knew this would happen." Dumai could see the confidence and trust in Ashitaka's eyes, allowing him to calm down a bit.

Suddenly, Dumai felt something course through him; the demonic power Ashitaka had held all this time was transfered to him in an instant. His heartbeat slowed, his vision blurred, and his right arm began to turn that same tint of purple.

Just as immediately, everything around Dumai seemed to shift. It was as if something had been triggered, changing the course of reality. Similarly, Dumai's transformation seemed to revert. His arm returned to its normal color as he began to regain control. He could still feel that power flow through him, however, as he turned his attention towards the demon.

Fire rained down on the pair. Both Ashitaka and Dumai jumped in opposite directions to avoid it. Dumai jumped up and swiped at the demon, barely missing a wing. Ashitaka took the opportunity to circle around. Dumai could see how much faster Ashitaka could move now that his curse was in full swing. Ashitaka stretched his arm out to grab the Seishin; the warrior forcibly pulled the demon down to the ground as Dumai got in a few good swipes.

"How is this possible!? You are nothing but mortals!" The demon growled, attempting to regain air as it hovered above the two.

"As long as we carry this curse - your curse - we have more than enough power to defeat you." Ashitaka prepared himself for another attack.

"I will not have this!" The Seishin sent out a shockwave from its body. Dumai braced himself for impact, but before anything could happen, time seemed to stop. Ashitaka was holding his arm.

"How did you know?" Dumai asked. He could tell that Ashitaka knew the Seishin's exact moves, right down to the immediate shockwave.

"No time for that now," Ashitaka joked. "Are you ready to finish this?"

"What do I need to do?"

"Just kill it. You'll know when."

Ashitaka moved Dumai right behind the demon. As the warrior let go of his hand, Dumai immediately saw Ashitaka move right in front of the Seishin. The shockwave missed completely, leaving the demon dumbfounded. Wasting no time, Ashitaka grabbed the demon again, this time right around the neck. The demon fell forward with a great force. Dumai knew this was the time.

With one leap, Dumai jumped into the air and readied his blade. The fire in his eyes was unyielding as he dropped down onto the demon's neck, sending his own shockwave that pulsated through the Seishin's body and the surrounding darkness.

Dumai's ears were pierced by a bloodcurdling scream. The Seishin jumped up, headless, and tried to fly away. It could only get off of the ground by a few feet before falling back over. Blood spilled out of the neck as its body gave off a lot of steam. The demon was soon dead.

"That...that's it?" Dumai almost cheered before realizing that his curse did not disappear. Ashitaka still looked the same as well; were they stuck like this?

"Ashitaka..."

A flash of light came from behind the two warriors. Dumai turned to see what it was, finding himself facing an old man.

"You managed to do it," He said, facing Ashitaka. "I knew you could."

"What's going on?" Dumai asked. He knew something was up - Ashitaka knew exactly how the battle would play out. Did he know San would die too?

* * *

><p>Ashitaka appeared in front of a shrine, surrounded by a vast field of grass. In front of him lay the body of his dear departed friend, Yakul. The red tint in his arm turned purple as he stood up. Ashitaka walked over to the shrine and looked inside.<p>

"I'm back, Lord Oda."

The body of Nobunaga Oda lay in the shrine, untouched since Ashitaka had been there last to place it. In the Spirit Realm, Oda's body would be preserved for all of eternity as long as the plane would be untouched. He had planned to give Yakul the same treatment.

A small pond sat at the bottom of a nearby hill. Ashitaka picked up his friend and made his way through the silent field. Underneath a cherry blossom tree, Ashitaka placed Yakul.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have made through to the end together. You have done so much for me. I thank you."

"Ashitaka?"

A voice came from behind. Ashitaka turned to see the old man who had helped him multiple times before.

"It's you again,"

The old man laughed.

"You may have seen me before, but this is my first time meeting you like this. The Spirit Realm is such a complex and beautiful place."

The old man walked past Ashitaka, onto the hill.

"I have come a long way to find you. To tell you of what is to come. Of your battle with the demon who gave you that curse."

"You know what will happen?"

"...You will lose the battle."

Ashitaka's heart dropped at hearing those blunt words. "Can you tell me how?"

"The Seishin is a demon born from hatred. Smugglers living on the mountain, greed from the citizens. This hatred had been building up for years before it consumed him. Five years before your journey in the mortal realm began, the demon was born. However, unlike what happened with the Forest Spirit, the Mountain Spirit was not appeased. And this hatred it what fuels its power. You are no match for it as you are."

"Your friend San...will die."

Ashitaka stood back. "Are you serious? Can I stop it?"

"You can try, but I have already seen it happen before my own eyes. You and your friend Dumai then defeat the demon in the mortal realm before moving into the Spirit Realm. There, you are killed by a shockwave."

"What happens to Dumai?"

The old man stood silently. That silence was all Ashitaka needed to understand. "There is a way you can defeat the Mountain Spirit." The old man finally spoke.

A blossom fell from the nearby tree, slowly making its way down to the ground. Silently through the still wind, the blossom gracefully landed right on Yakul.

"I know what I need to do." Ashitaka spoke up. "Thank you."

"I'm afraid I cannot travel back to that battle and change the past where I have already been," The old man continued. "But, if you change history, it will be a new path...one that I can reach. One that we can all reach. Until then, I will continue to help you out in the past."

* * *

><p>"Now, grab my hand." The old man reached out towards Dumai. Dumai felt a sense of nostalgia despite never having seen this man before. "We don't have much time."<p>

"To do what?"

"To save San."

Even Ashitaka was surprised to hear this. "There is a way to save her?"

"In my travels," The old man continued. "I have seen her. Her soul is reaved, just like how yours were before. If we can free her, then you can all return...but, because the Seishin is gone, your demon powers will not last. We must act quickly."

A great light surrounded the three men. Dumai closed his eyes quickly to see the scenery change all around him. Large stone structures surrounded them, equipped with glass rectangles, cloth hanging from poles, and writing on the sides. The ground was made of stone as well, with metal boxes moving around with people inside. Other people walked around them as well, dressed in crazy clothing. Dumai had no idea where he was.

"San is here?" Ashitaka asked, looking at the people defensively. The old man made no reply, walking in a small, narrow crevice between two of the stone structures. Ashitaka and Dumai followed.

It was dark and smelled pretty bad. Dumai rounded several corners and walked through the narrow corridors in order to keep up with the old man. When it finally opened up, Dumai stood in shock.

There, in the middle of an open area, lay San. She was curled up into a ball, shaking and covered in trash.

"San!" Ashitaka yelled out, but the wolf princess didn't seem to hear. Instead, she just muttered a phrase over and over again:

"I don't belong here...I don't belong here...I don't belong here."

The old man stood over her. "I have tried to wake her myself, but there was nothing I could do. Now that the path has changed, maybe...maybe you can do it, Ashitaka."

Ashitaka stood over the girl, who continued to shake and mutter. Silently, Ashitaka got down and wrapped his arms around her.

San did not react, but Ashitaka continued to hold her close. "San," he whispered into her ear. She did not react.

"I don't belong here...I don't belong here..."

"Wherever you go, I will be with you. You belong with me."

San stopped muttering. "I don't know who I am. What I am."

"You are San. San is San." Ashitaka said to her. She began to calm down. Color began to return to her face as her eyes lit up once more.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, but that will all change now. From now on, I will protect you."

"A-Ashitaka..."

A bright light came from above, enveloping everyone in it. The old man smiled. "Finally, we can return. It's been so long..." Dumai looked at him as the light grew stronger.

"Now, we are free."

* * *

><p>Dumai opened his eyes to find himself back on the peak. His body ached, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the demon powers Ashitaka gave him were gone. The soldier sat up.<p>

"Ashitaka!?"

The warrior lay a few feet away, next to the corpse of the Seishin. Dumai saw that the tint was gone from Ashitaka's skin, revealing his original skin color. The curse was gone. Ashitaka stirred.

"Good to see you're okay," Dumai said before noticing something else move. He turned his head to see San's body springing back to life. She slowly moved an arm to her face. Ashitaka looked over too and immediately got up to meet her. He wrapped his arms around the girl as the two stayed like that.

"It's finally over," Ashitaka said, trying to hold back a tear. San, however, burst into tears as she returned the embrace. Mori approached the humans, glad to see that his sister was still alive and well.

Ashitaka finally stood up. He looked at the corpse of the demon, saying a small prayer. Soon after, the body began to move once again. Dumai and Ashitaka jumped back as the body rose. However, a warm light surrounded it.

San recognized what it was. "The Mountain Spirit is back!" She shouted with joy. The bird looked much more majestic than ever. With golden feathers and a white aura, the Mountain Spirit floated in the sky above the party.

"You have overcome a great obstacle," It began. "I let my hatred build up until I couldn't control it. The demon born from my hate has done much damage to the lands below. I have also caused harm to you as well, making you suffer through the curse."

"I hope you will continue to look over these lands and protect the people who live here." San bowed deeply, which the Mountain Spirit returned.

"It will be hard for the people to forgive me right away," The Mountain Spirit continued. "I don't know if they will be willing to accept me anymore."

San smiled. "I have learned a lot about humans recently...I think they will give you another chance."

"In return," The Mountain Spirit went on, motioning to the side of the mountain. "I will fly you back down to the bottom of the mountain. It is the least I can do.

In the village below, a young boy ran along the street. Laughing, he stopped when he felt the ground begin to shake. The boy looked up to see a giant being descend from the mountain. Other villagers began to take notice as well.

"It's the Seishin!"

"He's come to attack!"

The villagers began to scramble as the Mountain Spirit finally made its way down. The warm aura made its way to the villagers, who began to calm down and realize what was happening. Many of them began to crowd around the descending spirit. Some looked on in awe while others in shock and fear.

The mountain Spirit looked down, as if ready to take any punishment from the people who lived on the lands he was supposed to protect.

"It's the Mountain Spirit! He's been restored!" The villagers slowly began to cheer for their returned spirit.

The Phoenix spread its wings as Ashitaka and the others jumped down.

"I have done a terrible thing, letting my hatred consume me." The phoenix declared. "Thanks to these brave warriors, I have been freed from my corruption. It will be a hard road ahead, but I hope we can continue to work together from now on."

The villagers cheered to see the return of their Mountain Spirit. Balance would soon be restored in the region.

After the phoenix flew back up, the villagers dispersed. Ashitaka knew things wouldn't be resolved overnight, but seeing the Mountain Spirit returned to its former self bestowed some glimmer of hope for these people.

San was somewhat surprised to see how the villagers reacted to the spirit. She knew in her heart that there were people like this in the world; people who would be able to live with the spirits in harmony.

It did not take the group long to find a place to stay for the night. A nice inn near the water accepted them for free as thanks for what they have done.

"What will you do now?" Dumai asked Ashitaka and San.

They looked at each other. "I think...we'll return home." Ashitaka answered confidently. San smiled when she heard that.

"It's been so long since we could relax." She said, looking at Ashitaka's right arm. The purple tint was no more, making Ashitaka look much better in her eyes.

"What about you, Dumai?"

The soldier tensed up. Ashitaka grew silent after asking the question, realizing what had happened.

"I'll probably stay here...find some work to do." Dumai said with a smile. He looked outside the window at the streets below. "Sure seems quieter now that there is no more evil threatening them, or any battles to be fought. I'm starting to miss our days as soldiers."

Some villagers began to gather outside the window below, looking out to a path leading into the mountains. More villagers began to crowd and chatter. Dumai poked his head out the window curiously to see what was going on.

"More villagers from the mountain have arrived!"

"They survived the attacks too!"

"We might need to help them! Can anyone lend a hand!"

Dumai stood up and looked at his companions. "Want to go?"

The trio made their way through the crowd to meet the survivors. They wore tattered clothing and carried very little. From the looks of it, they were attacked only recently. Dumai thought about which village they could have come from before realizing that his own village was destroyed pretty recently as well.

"It couldn't be..."

Dumai walked towards the group of survivors. His eyes lit up when he saw a few familiar faces.

"...Dumai, is that you?" One of the villagers spoke up.

"You survived!" Dumai replied. "Did...do you know if..." Holding onto the very slim chance, he decided to go for it.

The villager smiled. "Right here." He said, turning towards the back of the group.

A woman walked towards Dumai. She wore tattered clothing as well, clutching a small sack. A small hand held the hem of her dress. It belonged to a little girl, who hid behind her mother. She had a dirty face and tattered clothing as well, but her eyes sparkled at the sight of everyone around her. When the mother saw Dumai, she began to tear up.

Dumai looked on, knowing exactly who the woman was. Tears began to form in his own eyes.

"You're alive..." He said softly.

"Here, Kiko," The mother's voice began to break. "That's your father. Go on."

The little girl timidly let go of her mother's dress and began to walk towards Dumai. They stared at each other silently, either unable to speak. Slowly, Dumai dropped down to his knees and held his arms out wide. Immediately, the girl ran into them.

"Hello," Dumai said, running his hand through his daughter's hair. "It's nice to meet you, Kiko."

"Father!" The girl began to cry, hugging her father tightly. The mother ran up towards them both and contributed to the embrace. Everyone around them stared on in joy to see a soldier reunited with his family.

"I'm home," Dumai said. His daughter's cries were the only thing that could be heard in the air. It was as if time had stood still for this moment, for these people. These people who have been through so much. War, suffering, and loss. For these people, Ashitaka thought, peace would come at last.

However, it was not over.

Dumai had situated his wife and daughter in the room he had rented. He cooked up a small meal for them to eat, which he served lovingly. His daughter smiled as she put her hands together.

"Thank you for the food," She said out loud before picking up her chopsticks.

"I'm glad for you," San said to Dumai. He looked over to his family and smiled. "It seems everything will be okay now. Just like the spirit, we have a hard road ahead of us, but we can get by."

Dark smoke rose up over the water. Kiko noticed it after her meal. "Father, look." She said as she pointed at it.

"That's coming from the village on the other side...the one where-" Ashitaka spoke as San ran out of the building. Ashitaka and Dumai went out to follow her. San ran down to the docks to try to get a better view at what was happening.

A small rowing boat came in from the distance. A single man was on it, beaten and worn. A group of fishermen helped the man out of the boat.

"It...it was horrible!" The man panted. "The village, it was attacked!"

San tried to hold back her tears. "Who did it? Who would attack now...Didn't Hideyoshi fight to stop all of this!?"

The man caught his breath. "Hideyoshi...Hideyoshi died a few weeks ago. As soon as word spread, people have been fighting to succeed him! The eastern forces are fighting the west...The land is engulfed in a fiercer war than before!"

"Our work is not done yet," Ashitaka said quietly. San placed a hand on his arm. "We know what we have to do, San."

The wolf princess nodded. Dumai smiled. "I'm sorry, but I will have to pass on this one. My family needs me now more than ever."

"Understood." Ashitaka bowed to the man he had traveled and fought with, the man who had saved him and the one he had saved. "You deserve a rest. Your family needs you." He looked back towards the smoke. "Our home is there, in the middle of the war. We need to do what we can to keep it safe."

"I know you will," Dumai said. "Do you need a sword? You did lose your old one..."

Ashitaka shook his head. "I think I will be fine with my bow."

At long last, the three gave deep bows. "It was a pleasure traveling with you...I would not be where I am now if it weren't for both of you." Dumai said. "...Go get them."

The village was destroyed. All of the boats Ashitaka had seen there before were burned and destroyed. Many of the houses were ruined, with smoke rising up off of the debris. It looked as if no one survived.

"It can't be..." San immediately ran to where her family's house was located. Mori and Ashitaka followed after her.

* * *

><p>However, it too was destroyed. The house had fallen down during the attack. San's tears could not be held back this time as she sobbed. As she cried, a faint voice came from the house.<p>

"H..help,"

San sprung into action, moving towards the source. Underneath a pile of rubble lay Mio, San's sister. A line of blood ran down her face as her eyes looked empty.

"Mio! Mio!" San shouted, moving the rubble out of the way. Mio was still breathing.

"Sister," Mio said faintly, gripping San's tunic. San pulled out a cloth and wrapped it around her sister's head.

"San!" Another voice called out from behind them. Haru walked along the path, holding a blade in his hand. He had a wound on the side of his body and limped towards the ruined house.

"I'm glad you're both okay," San exclaimed, handing another cloth to Ashitaka. The warrior went over to treat San's brother. "What happened?" She asked.

"The village was just raided and burned," Haru said. "It was all too fast...Our small force managed to fend off the attackers, but they were too organized for a village like ours. They took what they could and just moved on...I wasn't strong enough to save everyone."

"Where are mother and father?" San asked, looking at her sister. Mio began to tear up.

"They told me to stay in the house while they went out to help...they...they..." Mio began to cry.

"Father was killed while fighting back, while mother was slain while trying to run. I...I couldn't do anything about it..." Haru began to tear up.

San didn't know what to say. Her parents were dead. They abandoned her when she was a baby, but they were still her parents. And now they left their other children behind as well.

"What do we do now?" Mio asked. "We have nowhere to go."

San hid her expression. "We'll take you with us. You can live with me from now on."

"Really?"

"I'm not going to leave you behind. Either of you."

Mio began to cough. San quickly motioned for Ashitaka to pull out a pouch of water. The little girl took it graciously.

Ashitaka managed to help the other survivors out of the wreckage. There were a few men, women, and children who survived. Many were injured and weak. To make matters worse, snow began to fall again. The chilling wind would be too much for them to handle. Ashitaka contributed to making a big fire of the debris while other survivors began to clean up the still-standing houses. There were a few that were unaffected, which the survivors used as shelter.

The next day, Ashitaka woke up early to go fishing. It took a few hours, but he managed to catch a good amount of fish. It wouldn't feed everyone, but it was a start.

"Why would an army attack this town? There is no point in it..." Ashitaka's rage built up over the ones who would do this to a poor fishing town. He really hoped that Iron Town was okay.

Caravans soon showed up at the village. Other villages in the area were attacked as well, so people sent out supplies to make sure everything was okay. Ashitaka managed to get a few horses from the caravan before they moved on.

"We have to get going," Ashitaka told San. "They should be okay here, for now. I don't think they will be attacked again...Whoever did this wouldn't be that low, right?"

"I don't know," San replied.

Ashitaka mounted a horse, carrying Mio with him. Haru took his own horse, while San stuck with Mori. Any supplies they had were given to the other villagers for their use. Together, they rode out of the desolate town.

"I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer to help," Ashitaka said. "But, we have a job to do. We need to end all of this fighting. I don't know what I can do without my power, but I will do my best to see a peaceful land...the one Oda and Hideyoshi fought and died for."

The snows stopped and the sun came out. Ashitaka took this as a sign and departed on his final journey. The freedom he had fought for was still out there, waiting to be claimed.


	28. East and West

**Author's note: I am almost done! I have already written chapter 30, the final chapter, and just need to write this next one. After that, I will finally end Ashitaka and San's journey that I started three years ago. Thanks to all who have been following and reviewing!**

**Chapter 28 - East and West**

* * *

><p>The group did not waste any time as they made their way south. Ashitaka, Haru, and Mori did their best to stay awake and keep the horses on track. Mio lay sleeping in Ashitaka's arms as he trodded along. It felt weird for him to not be riding on Yakul; it felt almost unnatural. The horses definitely felt uneasy due to being near a wolf, but Ashitaka and Haru were able to keep them form going too crazy.<p>

The light from the moon illuminated the way through the rocky earth. Haru spotted a small cave in the distance and asked if they could stop there. Ashitaka knew exactly where they were and elected to continue moving instead.

Finally, the horses grew too tired and collapsed near a lake. Knowing it couldn't be helped, Ashitaka and Haru set up a temporary shelter. The winter winds blew fiercely as a small fire was built. Ashitaka moved the sisters close to the fire before immediately dozing off on his own. The warrior didn't dream that night, only thinking about the harsh weather that prevented them from moving faster. All he wanted to think about was home: the bellows in Iron Town, the fence surrounding the place, and the people who lived there.

Early the next morning, Ashitaka woke up to the sight of Haru standing in the lake. He had caught a few fish for the morning meal. Ashitaka got up and restarted the fire. Mio and San still slept peacefully, as Mori and the horses slept separately.

Ashitaka soon joined the young man at the lake. "I don't think Mio can keep going like this," Haru said as the warrior approached. "If something were to happen to her...is it wise bringing her to a battlefield?"

"We don't have a choice." Ashitaka replied quickly. "Your parents are gone. San is the only family you have left. She wouldn't leave you there, even if you had only met recently."

Breakfast was silent. The group feasted on fish roasted over the fire and ate up the last of the rice. With more people in their group, Ashitaka had realized how much more food would be consumed now. They were running low on supplies, but were still a few days away from any familiar lands. They would not make it at this rate.

In addition, Ashitaka felt much weaker now than he did in a long time. He looked at his right arm, returned to its natural self. The blood coursed through his veins, as regular and normally as possible in the cold weather.

The group didn't take long to pack up before they were on their way again. The chilly air began to impact Ashitaka as he tried to navigate his horse along the path. Mio shivered under him, grasping a heavy cloth tightly. Ashitaka could see the breath leave her body and travel upwards into the sky. If they didn't make it south soon, they wouldn't be any better off.

Night came just as quickly as it disappeared. The horses showed visible signs of wear as they eventually collapsed where they stood. The sudden shock was not good considering the weather they were in. Mio and Ashitaka fell from their horse as Haru fell from his. Only San and Mori were left standing.

On the ground, Ashitaka struggled to move. He saw Mio nearby, laying in a pile of snow. The warrior did his best to make his way towards the little girl and covered her, providing body warmth. Ashitaka felt his consciousness fade away from him, but no matter how hard he tried to fight it, it wasn't enough.

* * *

><p>Ashitaka's eyes slowly opened. He could feel the warmth of a fire on his face, and of blankets around his body. After realizing where he was, he got up quickly.<p>

"Mio!"

San was sitting right next to him, who gave him a hug as soon as he recovered. "Everything is okay, Ashitaka. Don't worry."

"What happened to Mio?"

San turned around. Sure enough, the little girl was cuddled under some blankets next to the fire. She had a dreamy look on her sleeping face. More importantly, she was safe. Ashitaka took a breath of relief.

"Where are we?" Ashitaka looked around to try and get an idea of where he was, but he couldn't make anything out in the darkness.

Ashitaka stood up, releasing San from their embrace. He could still feel chills throughout his body as hey walked into the darkness. There were tents in the area, with soldiers walking, eating, and talking all around him. Did they run into the Eastern Army? Or, was it the group that attacked Mio and Haru's home?

"Ashitaka!" A gruff voice came from behind. Ashitaka turned around to see a bigger man clad in shiny armor walk slowly towards him. Ashitaka couldn't make out his face right away, but he knew the voice.

"Lord Leyasu?" Ashitaka bowed towards Tokugawa Leyasu, who returned it. Leyasu laughed.

"Our scouts found your little group stranded in the snow. One of them recognized you from the battle at Odawara and rescued you. You were pretty lucky, it seemed that you wouldn't have made it much longer."

"We are in your debt." Ashitaka bowed again.

"Great!" Leyasu let out a grunt. "You can repay us by fighing once more. I know of your skills while under Hideyoshi; we could make great use of you and your power."

Ashitaka's eyes looked down at his right arm. "I am sorry," Ashitaka bowed once more. "The power I had is now gone. I do not know how much use I can be."

Leyasu looked at the warrior. "A man's true strength is not just in his brawn, but also in his honor. I'll let you sleep on it. Good night." The general walked away from Ashitaka, leaving him alone to think.

San watched on as her sister's eyes slowly opened. The wolf princess took a warm wet cloth out of a wooden bowl and wiped it over Mio's forehead. Her breathing was labored and her sweat was cold; she still had not recovered from being unconscious in the snow.

"S-Sakura..." Mio said weakly.

San didn't know how to feel about being called by that name. It was the name her parents gave her, the ones who left her to die.

However, her thought was broken when she heard Mio's next words: "Thank you, sister."

Tears formed in San's eyes as she bent down to embrace her sister. "Everything will be okay," She said softly into Mio's ear. Mio smiled before sleeping once again. Nearby, Haru also recovered. Getting up, he noticed Mio laying right next to San.

"Is she okay?" Haru asked as he moved over to his sister.

"She is sick, but if we take care of her, she will be just fine." San replied, returning the cloth back to the bowl.

"Thank you, sister." The words were repeated, this time from Haru. The boy went back to sleep, leaving San in a state of awe. That's right, she thought to herself. I am the only one who can take care of them now. I will not leave them behind, like our parents did to me. To us.

Ashitaka returned to the pondering girl. He could tell that she had been awake for a while as he saw her head begin to dip. "Maybe you should get some rest," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. San shook her head.

"I'll be fine." She sounded sure, but Ashitaka could tell she was exhausted. Before long, San fell asleep right beside Mio. Ashitaka took responsibility for the three and watched over them all. He couldn't help but stare at San as she slept. He thought about everything they had been through and how much they have both changed since they first met. He wondered if that San, the one that was cleaning her mother's wound on that river, would have taken care of these two the same way.

A soldier came by after a while to direct Ashitaka to a prepared tent. They both worked together to move the sleeping ones quietly to a warmer place, away from the outside air. After it was all done, Ashitaka sat at the entrance to the tent. He didn't want anything to happen to the three inside the tent. Their lives were in his hands.

Morning came after a few hours. Ashitaka opened his eyes, startled that he had fallen asleep, as he looked behind him. Haru, Mio, and San were still sleeping inside the tent. With a quick sigh, Ashitaka got up to find something for them to eat. A few feet from the tent, Ashitaka could catch the whiff of something delicious. He followed the scent to another tent, which contained a few cooks preparing rations for the soldiers. Many others were already lined up to receive a portion. From the looks of things, there wasn't much to go around. Ashitaka took his place in line and waited.

San woke up to the smell of food. She quickly opened her eyes once she realized she had been sleeping. In front of her sat Ashitaka, holding a couple of rice balls. He handed one to her before taking one for himself. She held the food in her hands for a moment, but once she saw Mio stirring, she abandoned all thought of eating it as she waited for her sister to get up.

"Here, eat this." She said dotingly to Mio, who rubbed at her eyes. She opened her mouth as San tore a piece of the rice ball off and fed it to her.

"It's good," Mio said in a groggy voice.

"Are you feeling better?" San asked.

Mio nodded her head. "Because you took care of me."

* * *

><p>The camp packed quickly and marched on in the snowy weather. Haru and Mio followed behind with the other camp followers while Ashitaka and San traveled with the officers in the front. While the horizon was still a blur to him, Ashitaka noticed that the snows did begin to soften as the continued to travel. This was good news for the group, as he knew that Mio would be able to fare a little better now. If the army happened to pass near Iron Town, Ashitaka knew he would drop everyone else off first. He clutched his right arm with his left, guiding his horse along the path.<p>

A horn blew. Soldiers ahead of Ashitaka began to yell as the officers sped up ahead. San looked confused at what was happening and stayed behind Ashitaka. The warrior looked around, trying to listen to what was happening.

"We are being attacked!" He quickly said before pulling out his bow. San immediately turned to look at the back of the group, knowing Mio was there, and went off in that direction. Ashitaka, meanwhile, turned his attention towards the frontlines.

Arrows were raining down from a cliff to the west. The eastern soldiers took cover behind some rock formations as they volleyed their own arrows back. Leyasu stood near the front, shouting orders to his men. Ashitaka took a spot behind a big rock and nocked his arrow.

Ashitaka took a deep breath and drew his arrow back. He could feel the tension in his bow and in his bow arm; when he had the curse, he simply pulled the bow back and the arrow seemed to fly on its own. Now, he had trouble keeping his aim steady. Ashitaka tried to pull back a little more, but the arrow slipped out of his hand and flew right into the side of the cliff.

"Ashitaka!" Leyasu shouted from behind. "The enemy is up higher! We cannot afford to miss our shots!"

The warrior shook his head and nocked another arrow. This time, he put as much focus into his aim. An arrow flew right by his head, causing him to stir and drop the arrow.

"Why can't I fight anymore?" Ashitaka thought to himself as he picked the arrow back up. He had relied on the curse for so long that he had lost his own fighting skills.

Once more, Ashitaka drew the arrow and aimed for where the enemy arrow had come from. With one more breath, he released and sent the arrow flying. It flew right into the bushes on top of the cliff. A second later, someone dropped out of the bush and off of the cliff. He had hit someone! With a confident smile on his face, Ashitaka pulled out another arrow.

"Mio!" San and Mori made their way to where the camp followers hid. They hid behind bushes and trees. The women did their best to keep the few children quiet. Some soldiers stood watch. A child stood alone, crying behind one of the trees. San made her way to the child in an attempt to calm him down.

"It'll be okay," San said to the child, who looked up at her.

However, as San approached, an arrow flew in through the trees, striking the child right through the chest. He fell to the ground, silent. At this, the children and women began to scream and run in the opposite direction as more arrows flew by. The soldiers immediately charged in the direction of the arrows, as did Mori.

San stood behind and collapsed to the ground in front of the child. He was dead, lying in a pool of his own blood. She did her best to keep her tears back, but she couldn't control herself in the end as she started crying. She didn't know the boy, but that didn't matter. So much death was around her: men, women, children, animals, spirits. There was no escaping it. She killed her fair share of people as well. Her hands would never be free of the blood she has spilt.

"San!"

Haru's voice pierced through the air, bringing San back to reality. Her brother stood over her with both hands on her shoulders. She blinked, looking down at the child once more. Laying the child down gently, she rose up and pulled her daggers out. Haru moved in the direction of the rest of the women; San followed suit.

"I had Mio with me," Haru explained. "But, when the arrow hit, she ran from me. I'm sorry, sister."

"We will find her," San said, picking up her pace. She would do whatever it takes to keep her family safe.

Ashitaka managed to pick off about five soldiers with his arrows. His bow arm became heavy as he ducked behind the rock once more. The assault began to lessen, with Leyasu's army successfully driving the enemies away. The last stragglers were picked off as the men cheered.

Leyasu ordered Ashitaka to stand up, which he did. "Good work," he said. "You need a lot more training to get the feel of battle back into you." The general turned to his other men. "Go find all of our casualties!" The men bowed and ran off.

The eastern army had lost about seven soldiers and one non-fighter: a young boy. His family was not with the camp; one of the women took to taking care of him. His death was hard on everyone who had known how bright he was. After graves were made for each of the victims, the army decided to press on.

The main camp was in a castle that Leyasu had been able to claim, holding under eighty thousand men. They were well-stocked with weapons, armor, and food. Ashitaka and Haru were sent to tents for the men, while San was given a spot with the women. Mio was still nowhere to be found; San was not able to find her before reaching camp. The only thing that went through her mind at that moment was her sister. Was she okay? Did she make it? Mio was not listed as a casualty, but did they even know she was there?

After stepping into the tent, San looked around for a familiar face, in the far corner sat a little girl with a couple of older women. They were tending to the girl's wounds on her arms and face. San immediately recognized the girl as Mio.

"Mio!"

The little girl got up and ran right into her sister's arms. The two other women followed closely behind, still holding the cloth and bandages.

"I won't let you out of my sight again." San whispered into the girl's ear. San looked down at Mio's injuries. There were mostly scrapes and minor wounds. Mio explained that she had fallen down during the panic. There were no wounds inflicted by the enemy army, which San was thankful for.

A meeting between commanders was held later in the day. Ashitaka was lucky enough to be able to attend the meeting and stood in the back. Many of the East Army's subordinates came together in order to discuss battle tactics. As he entered the room, he saw a giant cloth over a long table. The Leyasu clan symbol was on the cloth, concealing something Ashitaka knew was important.

"As we all know," Leyasu opened. "Ishida Mitsunari has been raising up an opposing force to my rule. We had taken this castle Gifu while he had taken Fushimi Castle. Now, he is fleeing south towards Sekigahara. In terms of weather, the snows will soon be replaced with rain and fog. It will be hard to follow our enemy, but we must not give up."

Leyasu made his way to the other side of the room, towards the cloth on the table. "We have these to aid us," He said as he revealed a few arquebuses. They were shiny and looked brand-new. Ashitaka saw similar weapons used in Iron Town, but had not seen them in use since then.

"There are plenty more I have brought in from Edo. They will be passed around to all who are able to use them."

"What is the plan from here, shogun?" One of the commanders asked.

"I will leave a garrison of troops here," Leyasu began. "And the rest of us will march towards Sekigahara. We leave at dawn."

On the way back from the meeting, Ashitaka found Haru in the courtyard alone. The young man had an arquebus in his hands, given to him from an officer.

"Do you know how to use that?" Ashitaka asked the boy.

Haru nodded. "My father found one during his travels and let me use it once. It was a while ago, but I think I remember how to use it correctly." He aimed it up towards a wall and pretended to pull the trigger.

"Good. We will need people who can use them." Ashitaka thought about his own ability. If he could barely use his bow anymore, how useful would he be with an archebus? If he still had his blade, would he be as efficient at that as he was before?

"What about you?" Haru asked. "Do you want to get yourself a new blade?"

Ashitaka shook his head. "That part of me is gone. I will never find a blade better suited for me than my shibo, but it is gone. I only need my bow now."

"Sure you don't want to try using one of these?" Haru held the archebus out in front of him. Ashitaka politely declined.

"No thank you. I am better suited for the traditional weapons."

* * *

><p>Leyasu lead his army right out of the castle in pursuit of the Western Army. The ground was wet from the recent rain that fell over the area, and the air was damp and foggy, getting even foggier as they advanced towards Sekigahara. Upon reaching the general area, Leyasu stopped his troops and ordered a small guard to scout the area ahead. Ashitaka was chosen as one of the members of the guard.<p>

The dense fog made it difficult for Ashitaka to make out anything that was more than a few inches from his face. The air was very still and silent; he could hear the breathing of the other men sent out with him.

"Maybe we should withdraw," A voice came through the fog. Ashitaka did not recognize it at all, knowing that the other men were behind him. The voice came from in front of him...

"Stop!" Ashitaka said to the other men of the guard. "They are here."

At the same time, Ashitaka heard the same voice again. "I heard something!"

Knowing that the enemy was right there, Ashitaka and the other men decided to withdraw and retreat. They knew the enemy was right upon them. After making it back to the camp, Leyasu immediately ordered some of the other troops to march right for the front lines. The wind began to pick up as the men marched down where Ashitaka had come from.

"It's about time we started," He said with a grunt. The wind blew even stronger now, as if the gods were preparing the field for battle. Ashitaka looked up into the sky and saw a ray of light shine down through a small hole in the fog. Pulling out his bow, Ashitaka took a deep breath. He could feel the presence of something divine, such as a spirit, flowing through the wind. He could hear it's soft growl, feel the light fur brush against his skin, and see the wind move the fog apart.

With one roar, the wind blew at its fiercest. The fog blew apart quickly as if they were feathers, revealing a grassy field. On the horizon, Ashitaka could make out the enemy. They were preparing for battle, defending their encampment. The sight looked extremely beautiful; if only Ashitaka could remain in this moment forever.

"There they are!" Leyasu shouted. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"


	29. The Battle of Sekigahara

**Chapter 29 - The Battle of Sekigahara**

* * *

><p>The ground was muddy from the rains that had fallen across the land. The skies were clear due to a strong wind that had blown. And thousands of men stood among fields and rivers. In terms of numbers, Leyasu's army was the smaller one. Mitsunari had his forces turtled up, ready to defend against the Eastern Army's attacks.<p>

Ashitaka was overwhelmed at the sheer scale of this battle. It was much larger than anything he had been in before, as well as the most important. If they were to lose, he did not know what would happen. Would Oda and Hideyoshi's wishes for peace be fulfilled if Mitsunari were to triumph today? Would he be able to return home?

He didn't have any time to think before Leyasu's forces began to mobilize. Part of the army began to charge along a river, right into the Western Army. He could see from where he was standing that the ground was very muddy, slowing the army's advance. Feet sank into the earth, as if it were grabbing the soldiers and pulling them under the surface. Part of the Western Army's forces began to mobilize in response, moving at a much faster rate. The soldiers would be overrun if this kept up.

"Attack their left flank!" Leyasu ordered some of his own men. Ashitaka pulled out an arrow and aimed it towards the Western Army. The soldiers all lined up, each with arrows nocked. Like clockwork, they drew and released. A volley of arrows rained down on the Western Army. Without hesitation, each of the soldiers picked up another arrow and repeated the process.

Nothing went trough Ashitaka's mind as he shot arrow after arrow. The feeling he had when he was in battle before was gone, replaced with the strains of pulling the bowstring. He felt empty. Ashitaka had gotten used to shooting after the previous attack, but he still lacked confidence. The warrior could see soldiers drop left and right after shooting, a sign that he was hitting his targets. Arrows flew past him as well; a line of arrows landed in the grass right in front of the archer line. Some soldiers fell right next to him, but that did not stop Ashitaka from continuing to draw and fire.

San was sent in with other soldiers to assist the first wave that had charged in. The mud cleared up as the soldiers finally connected with the enemy. As she approached, the Western Army made no hesitation to attack. She managed to get two soldiers down in one swing. After that, San jumped over another soldier as she slashed at a lancer behind him. The wolf princess had never felt more alive, having multiple reasons to fight this battle now. Mio was waiting for her back at the safety of the camp. Her brother awaited her return in her own forest. And she would do whatever it takes to make sure Ashitaka gets home, so their adventure would not have been in vain.

San made the motion to attack a soldier, but someone yelled behind him before she connected. The soldier ducked and retreated. The wolf princess noticed that many of the Western Army's forces were hesitant in attacking. It seemed as if they were unsure of which side to fully stick with. The generals would tell their forces to retreat or to refrain from attacking. Some would attack, but not spread out their forces.

Mitsunari himself appeared on the battlefield, trying to tell soldiers to fight. San could tell it was him because of how he was dressed. While some generals complied with his orders, others refused to follow his orders out of honor.

Leyasu had talked to many of the enemy generals before, offering forgiveness if they were to support him. He expected some of the Western Army to turn and defect to his side. Ashitaka shot another arrow as he heard Leyasu bark out more orders.

"Pull out the Arquebuses!"

A line of soldiers emerged, including Haru, as Leyasu told them where to point.

"Aim for Mount Matsuo, over there! If Kobayakawa Hideaki won't make up his mind of who to join, we will make it easier for him! Fire!"

The guns shot, echoing in the air. Ashitaka became somewhat surprised by the ringing, even though he expected the loud noise. He looked over to the mountain, seeing small dots scatter. Ashitaka could only imagine what it was like for those forces - having to decide who to fight for right in the middle of the battle.

Ashitaka continued his assault on the Western Army. Arrow after arrow, nock after nock, shot after shot. He didn't know how many he had hit with his arrows. However, he felt more and more comfortable as he shot each one. The fighing spirit he had before was beginning to come back.

Eventually, Leyasu ordered the men to stop firing on the mountain as he could see the army there begin to move against the other forces there - Kobayakawa seemed to change sides. With a gruff laugh, Leyasu ordered the men to switch to melee and charge right in. Haru put the arquebus down and picked up a katana before rushing down to meet the forces. Leyasu himself pulled out his spear and ran with the rest of his troops.

San led a charge on the Western Army, who had begun to retreat at this point. Many of the generals decided to switch sides after seeing what was happening. Those who had decided to stand and fight were quickly cut down. San managed to strike a few more as she followed the riverbank. Several archers stood on the other side, firing arrows into the Eastern Army. Seeing this, San decided to jump over. She found a few rocks and made the leap. Arrows flew past her as she jumped and rolled onto the other side of the river. At close range, the archers did not know what to do, resorting to using arrows as melee weapons. San managed to knock a few arrows down with her blades before slashing at their arms and legs. The archers fell as she moved on to her next target. An arrow grazed her left leg as she took down an archer. Beyond them stood a tall figure carrying a large spear. His armor was bright red, and his facial expression was blank. San recovered her ground and raised her weapons against her opponent.

"Pretty impressive," The man said, raising his own spear. "My name is Sanada Yukimura. You would be wise to remember it."

Ashitaka could see that the Western Army, or what was left of it, began to retreat. The Eastern Army grew in size due to the generals who had switched over. A sort of ripple effect happened as soldiers turned to fight the other side, eventually spreading through the different armies dispatched. It became harder and harder to fire arrows as he did not know who had already turned and who still fought for the Western Army.

Haru pushed his way through several foes, trying to find his sister amidst the chaos. Several quick slices left his enemies down for the count. After crossing the river with a small band of soldiers, he heard San's scream come from the north. Looking that way, he saw a girl on the ground, with a spear pointed in her face.

"San!" Haru yelled as he charged towards the man. He managed to knock the spear away from San, but the man holding it began to attack Haru. The boy was able to block a few of the blows, but was not fast enough for his enemy, who managed to sweep him by his legs. Haru fell to the ground and dropped his katana. It bounced off of a rock and slid right into the river. The spear entered Haru's flesh easily, pinning him by his left arm. Haru screamed as the spear exited, ready to strike again.

San got up and tackled Sanada, knocking him into the river. Sanada got up and was ready to attack again when a voice rang from the distance.

"Retreat! Western Army!" The spearman scoffed and stood his ground, prepared to face both San and Haru.

The spear wound was pretty deep, but it was not fatal. San quickly tore a piece of cloth from her own clothing and wrapped it tight around Haru's arm. "Are you okay?" She asked her brother, helping him get up. Haru nodded.

"This battle is over." Leyasu laughed, approaching Sanada. "You are on the losing side, my friend. If you want a fight, you can fight me!" The general pulled his own spear against Sanada's.

Sanada said nothing, choosing instead to attack. The spears clanged as Leyasu and Sanada circled around each other. One would take a swing while the other would duck or dodge. San could see that the two men were equal in skill.

The general let out a grunt as he swung his spear once more, striking the ground in front of Sanada, who staggered at this. Seeing an opportunity, Leyasu swung around and tripped Sanada. The spearman fell to the ground with a thud.

Leyasu held his spear over Sanada and struck. However, Sanada kicked his own spear up and knocked Leyasu's away before rolling out and standing back up. At the sound of another retreat signal, Sanada decided to run. "I will not forget this humiliation!" Sanada said as he ran away towards the Western Army.

Ashitaka, seeing the battle begin to end, prepared a horse and rode down to the field with other soldiers. Bodies littered the ground all over the area, from both sides. As they passed the river, Ashitaka could see that it had turned red.

The group rode over to a large formation of soldiers. The Eastern Army had managed to capture some of the heads of the Western Army, which had finally dissolved.

"My rule will not be questioned," Leyasu said. He approached the captured men, taking slow strides. He took a look and asked, "Where is Mitsunari? Surely he wasn't killed already?"

"He seems to have fled," One of the soldiers replied. "We can have people go searching for him if you wish."

Leyasu laughed. "Let him run! He won't make it very far. When he is captured, we will take his head."

Ashitaka looked into the sky, seeing some sort of figure among the clouds. After blinking, it was gone. "It's finally over," he said to himself.

Leyasu had heard him. "Not yet, my friend," He said. "It has just begun. The real war lies in keeping your power, not just attaining it."

* * *

><p>Mitsunari was eventually captured and brought to Leyasu. After winning and declaring his rule, Leyasu managed to redistribute land to the generals who had helped him. Mitsunari, along with others, were brought to a public area for execution. Leyasu stood over them, wishing to perform it himself.<p>

"Death awaits those who have defied me and my Shogunate." He said, raising his blade. Ashitaka looked on among hundreds of soldiers and civilians. The blade fell quickly as Mitsunari was executed. One after another, the men were executed, with Mitsunari's head placed on a pike to display in Kyoto.

Ashitaka stood back and watched as the people cheered for the last man standing: Leyasu now had a strong claim to power as all of the lands served under him now. The land was unified - through all of the death and fighing, the land would finally be at peace. Or, Ashitaka hoped it would be that way.

Wandering through the town, Ashitaka looked for San and Haru, as he did not find them after the end of the battle. At the edge of the city, he saw the familiar wolf, and saw that they were alive and well. Mio was there with them, hugging her brother and sister tightly. When he approached, San burst into tears and gave him a hug.

"It is all over," She sighed. "We can finally return home."

"We will need to prepare for the journey," Ashitaka said. He made his way back to the temple where Leyasu made his home, to pay his respects for the new Shogun.

"May you rule for a long time," Ashitaka said as he bowed. Leyasu returned it.

"Are you sure you will leave? I could use you in the future."

"There is no one left to challenge you."

Leyasu's grin faded away. "There is still one. The boy Toyotomi."

Ashitaka's heart dropped. Toyotomi...Hideyoshi's bloodline? He is an enemy to Leyasu?

"He may rise up against me one day. True peace may not come until that day has passed."

"But, isn't he..." Ashitaka stopped, knowing that he shouldn't speak out of place on such matters.

"Either way," Leyasu continued. "It is a shame to see you go. May you find success wherever you go." With another bow, Ashitaka parted ways with the new shogun.

Ashitaka returned to the group, who had packed everything needed for the road. "How did it go?" Haru asked Ashitaka, but the warrior remained silent.

San noticed something was wrong. "It's all over now, right? Peace will return to the land?"

The warrior hesitated. "Yes." He said, not knowing the truth. What was peace to him may not be peace to San, or Leyasu, or anyone else. Did Hideyoshi and Oda know this when they made their attempts to unify the land? Will he live to see the day when this peace is shattered? Was it all worth it in the end? He did not know the answer to these questions. All he did know was that they were all safe and ready to head home. Their part was done; whatever else had to be done was out of their hands. It would be up to someone else to make sure this peace lasts. It was up to them to find their own happiness.

With that, the group set out for the last time. The path they traveled on was a familiar one. With the war having ended, they knew it was safer to travel. The sun was shining brightly on the land as flowers began to bloom. A new day, a new age.

The group stopped by a river after hours of traveling. Ashitaka and Haru went to search for fish as San and Mio looked for firewood and berries. The men found a decent location to fish, sitting on top of a large rock overlooking a shallow body of water.

Many fish passed the stream as Ashitaka and Haru did their best to catch them. Ashitaka managed to catch a few big ones, while Haru caught many smaller ones. The feast that night was glorious.

Mio dug into her fish quickly while the others ate slowly and silently. Mori caught his own fish in the stream and ate away from the fire.

The atmosphere was oddly silent, but Ashitaka could sense something nearby. As the others ate, he suddenly rose up and grabbed his bow.

"Is something wrong?" San asked, looking up at the warrior.

Ashitaka said nothing, instead walking towards the trees. He slowly pulled an arrow out of his quiver and placed it over the bow, lining up the nock with the bowstring. Whatever was there was getting closer, as Ashitaka could feel its presence even more. Step by step, the warrior cautiously entered the woods.

A faint red light sat in the distance. As Ashitaka drew closer, he could see the red light grow more intensely. When he got close enough, he knew exactly what it was.

San stared into the trees where Ashitaka had departed. Haru, Mio, and Mori each stopped and looked as well. Mori was the first to sense it, getting up quickly.

"Get out of the way!" He shouted.

A black mass shot out through the trees and over the group, landing near the water. San got up, blades in hand, to get a better look at what it was. She could see the outline of a bear with a human in its grip - Ashitaka.

It wasn't just an ordinary bear either; tendrils emerged from the bear's sides as its red eyes lit up the night.

"A demon!" San said, immediately motioning to Haru. He understood and picked Mio right up before running away from the scene.

The demon bear held Ashitaka in its paws, roaring into the night sky. Ashitaka struggled to get free, but couldn't due to his mortal strength. San ran as fast as she could to reach them, but she was too late: the bear sunk its teeth right into Ashitaka's flesh, right on his right arm. Ashitaka screamed in pain, dropping his bow to the ground.

San jumped onto the bear's back and stabbed her blades right into its neck. The bear removed its teeth from Ashitaka and flung him to the side as it tried to grab the wolf princess. Mori came from the other side, biting at the demon's legs.

The bear fell to the ground. San grabbed her blades and thrust them back into the bear. Over and over, she stabbed at the demon in rage. Her screams grew as her thrusts became more violent, until she became tired and stopped. The bear's flesh began to melt away as the familiar scent of death lingered over the area. Upon seeing this, San moved her attention to Ashitaka.

The warrior lay on the ground in pain. His right arm was mangled, bleeding and broken. When San made it to him, she knew there was no saving it. However, she noticed something on the mass that she didn't want to see - signs of yet another curse.

"Ashitaka-"

"Cut it off!"

Ashitaka's words echoed into the air. San sat there for a moment, confused.

"Hurry!"

Hesitant, San pulled one of her blades out, picking a spot along Ashitaka's arm to make the cut. If she did it quick enough, the curse may not spread. However, that would also mean that Ashitaka loses his right arm. Knowing that his arm would never be the same again in either case, San raised the blade over her head.

"I'm sorry," She cried as the blade came down.

* * *

><p>Ashitaka woke up next to the water. His body ached him, preventing him from moving for a while. He managed to lift his right arm up into the air, looking at his hand.<p>

It wasn't there.

San had cut just under the elbow joint. In one clean swing, Ashitaka's broken and cursed arm had been separated from the rest of his body. It dropped to the ground where it immediately dissolved, just as the demon bear had done moments before. All that remained were the bones - broken, cracked, and smashed. The bleeding in Ashitaka's arm had been stopped by wrapping hot cloth tightly around it. Ashitaka passed out soon after the cut, but San and Mori did all they could to keep him alive.

It was dawn when Haru and Mio finally returned to them. Haru saw from a distance what had happened and immediately told Mio to stay calm.

"Is Ashitaka okay?" Mio asked her brother.

"He will be fine." He replied in an unsure tone.

When Mio saw Ashitaka in his current state, she began to cry. San, covered in blood, placed her face up to Ashitaka's wound, cleaning it out with her own mouth. She turned to spit the blood into the river before returning.

"He is alive." San said, looking up at her little sister. "He is strong."

Ashitaka dropped his stub down to the ground. It hurt a lot, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. His arm felt much lighter now, but he was now useless in combat. He was now useless in everything.

He decided to sit up, ignoring the intense pain going through his body. The others were nowhere to be found. He could see his blood all over the rocks, cloth, and firewood. He could see the remains of his arm, as well as the remains of the demon bear that had taken it from him.

"Ashitaka?"

San came back with a sack full of berries. She sat down beside him and held a berry up to his mouth. He took it.

"It's over." Ashitaka finally said, raising his right arm up. "There's nothing I can do now. Was our journey useless?"

"No. And that is why." San, with a tear in her eye, looked over towards the river. Mio and Haru were there, each carrying something. When she saw him up, Mio dropped it and ran over to him, giving him a hug.

"Right," Ashitaka said. Him losing his arm is nothing compared to the lives of Haru and Mio, to Mizuki's life, to Dumai's life, and to San's life. The lives he had saved during his journey was more than worth it. Now, it was truly over. Whether this was a sign from the spirits, he didn't know.

Ashitaka felt much less sad about the loss of his arm than he should have been. Everything he had set out to do was done. His part was done, and now he could finally rest.

He actually began to laugh. "Funny that it began with an attack by a demon, and ended with one too. I lose the curse, my sword, and now my arm."

The group eventually continued on their journey after Ashitaka was feeling stronger. The first signs of spring came, as flowers bloomed and life returned to the trees. Animals appeared along the path, running alongside the horses. The sun was shining as bright as ever. Whenever they would stop to rest, Mio would run through fields, laughing as she did so. Ashitaka watched from afar, happy to see that the little girl was happy once more.

Before long, Iron Town came into sight. Ashitaka smiled as he saw the familiar smoke rise above the town, a sign that the women were hard at work.

"We're back." He took a sigh of relief.

One of the village boys walked along the fence, staring out into the distance. Upon seeing a figure, he stopped to take a closer look. He saw a few horses and one wolf. The wolf alone let him know who it was.

"They're back!" He yelled, running back down. "Ashitaka and San are back!"

The gates to Iron Town opened up as the group approached. A flood of people immediately greeted Ashitaka and his company. The warrior saw many familiar faces, including Toka, who grinned after seeing his face.

However, that grin went away as she noticed his right arm.

"Ashitaka, what..." The crowd grew silent as they noticed as well.

But, Ashitaka did not worry. "It was a small price to pay." He said, looking at San.

Ashitaka met with Lady Eboshi soon after returning to Iron Town. The two sat together, teacups in hand.

Lady Eboshi couldn't help but stare at Ashitaka's right arm, or what was left of it. She raised her own stump.

"You weren't careful either, I see." She joked. Ashitaka laughed. "What do you plan to do now?" She asked, taking a sip.

"I want to settle back down and live my life out here." Ashitaka replied. "There's not much else I can do with this, anyway."

"Nonsense!" Lady Eboshi interrupted. "I am running this place with one hand, after all! You can be the other, if you desire. It's the least I could do."

Ashitaka bowed. "No, thank you."

"Tell me," Eboshi continued. "After seeing the rest of this country, is there anything you regret?"

Ashitaka thought back at everything he had been through: from the battle at Kii, to the battle against the spirit wolves, to Kyushu, to the spirit realm, to fighting alongside Oda, Hideyoshi, and Leyasu, to defeating the demon phoenix.

"Nothing at all."


	30. The Warrior and His Princess

**Author's Note: This is an epilogue of sorts for various characters in the story.**  
><strong>Final Chapter - The Warrior and His Princess<strong>

* * *

><p>In the village of Hakataka, signs of peace slowly returned to the land and its people. The last of the signs of the battle with the Spirit Wolves had been taken care of as the villagers returned to their everyday lives. While the war had never truly touched the area, many of the men had left to take part, not knowing if they would ever return to the ones they loved and cared about. With the war over and the land finally united, many of the women and children waited for their return.<p>

Of course, the village was not without its problems. Occasionally, thieves would prowl the streets to harm innocent women and children, or pickpocket the unsuspecting elderly. With many of the men gone, the village was somewhat open to these incidents. It goes without saying that many of the thieves were able to get away with it too.

One night, a hooded girl walked the streets, moving as cautiously as she could. She moved from the main street into a narrow alley, hearing footsteps somewhat distant behind her. As the footsteps drew closer, she moved faster, trying her best to get as far as she could. The steps eventually caught up with her as an arm reached around and grabbed her by the neck. A small blade shined in the moonlight.

"Don't struggle now, miss," The voice hissed in her ear. "Just hand over everything you have and nothing too bad will happen to you."

"Okay," The girl's voice shook as she reached slowly underneath her cloak. The thief gave a creepy laugh, thinking about the treasures that await him.

The girl gave a deep breath before quickly removing her hand, revealing a blade. With one swift move, she thrust her elbow into his arm as she grabbed his wrist with her free hand. The thief tried to fight back, but the girl twisted his wrist, forcing him to drop the blade. With another motion, she spun around and knocked his legs from underneath him. The thief fell to the ground with a thud as the girl kicked his blade away. Still holding onto his wrist, the girl placed the blade right in front of his face.

"O-okay," The thief suddenly began to break down. "It was just a...a joke, see! I wasn't really going to - ow!" The girl pushed the thief to the ground.

"Don't kill me!"

Suddenly, the girl hesitated. Her memories came pouring back: she was once a thief, just like this man here. Her brothers had brought her up that way, as it was the only way they could survive. With their family dead from the war, all they could do was steal. As criminal as they were, they had never taken any lives. She remembered the petty crimes they committed, the people they had stolen from, and the cold, cold nights sleeping on the streets.

Then, she remembered finding herself crying, alone against a tree, surrounded by the bodies of her dead brothers. A single warrior in a caravan whom they had tried to steal from had gone berserk and killed them all. The brothers who helped her survive were dead, leaving her alone in the world. She would have died too if the warrior didn't stop. Her life was spared. With the life she was given, she decided to stop her life of thievery, instead taking on jobs to make a living.

And here she was, staring at another petty thief trying to survive. If she killed him, how could she deserve to live the life she was spared?

"I won't kill you," She finally spoke up. The thief blinked as the girl slowly got off of him. "You don't deserve to die in cold blood. No one does. But, if I find you around here again..." The thief didn't need to hear the rest to understand; he scrambled off of the ground and ran off, leaving the girl alone in the alley.

"I hope he makes something of the life I gave him, like I did with mine," She said to herself, thinking of her brothers. Without another word, the girl walked off towards the moonlight. She didn't know if she would ever see that warrior again, but she knew if she did, she would thank him.

* * *

><p>With one swing of the scythe, Dumai managed to chop the crops. After wiping the sweat off of his brow, Dumai turned to crop another section of the field. Ever since he reunited with his family, the soldier had retired to a life of farming, much like what he had done before he became a soldier. He never really knew how much it hurt his wife to see him leave, thinking he would never come back. Thinking back on it, there were plenty of chances for him to die; he actually did die, now that he remembered. If it wasn't for Ashitaka and San, he wouldn't be here to return to his wife and daughter. They saved his life, and he saved theirs.<p>

Dumai carried the crops back in a wooden basket, slowly walking along the edges of the field. Children ran past him, yelling and playing. They looked at peace, unaware of the many hardships and sacrifices given to ensure their happiness. Dumai looked up into the distance, seeing the great mountain where the Mountain Spirit lives.

The soldier closed in on his home. His wife stood outside, hanging up clothing. Upon seeing her husband in the distance, she smiled and called towards the house. Kiko soon came running out, laughing as she ran towards her father with arms wide open. Soon the two met as Kiko wrapped her arms around Dumai. Dumai placed a hand on her head as they walked back towards the house. Seeing her smile gave Dumai the confidence that it was all worth it.

"Are you really going to tell me and mother about your adventures tonight?" Kiko looked up at him with big, questioning eyes.

"Everything," Dumai replied.

"I can't wait to hear!" Kiko's eyes lit up as she gave a smile. "Are the nice boy and girl in it too?"

"I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for them. I owe them my life."

"Please don't go anywhere anymore. Stay with us forever!"

"I will never leave either of you again." Dumai stopped right in front of his house, placed the basket down, and bent down to give his daughter a big hug, which she returned. Dumai's wife walked over to the both of them to join in the embrace.

"Welcome home, dear," She said to him.

"I'm back." He replied before taking a step inside.

* * *

><p>Jigo jumped right off of the boat, finally having arrived on Kyushu. His caravan was escorted down, allowing him to immediately depart.<p>

"Hey!" One of the sailors called after him. "Aren't you going to pay for your trip!?"

Jigo turned to the sailor and threw a sword to him. "Hopefully that's enough!" Jigo said with a laugh before darting off.

With the war having ended, there was little use for weapons and armor besides keeping the peace. Jigo wondered if he should start selling something else, but dismissed the idea when he came across a few soldiers.

"Would any of you be interested in some weapons?" He asked as he approached. One soldier placed a hand on his own weapon.

"Lord Tachibana," The soldier said. "Should we...?"

Muneshige Tachibana bowed to the merchant. "We do seem to be running low on supplies. Perhaps you have something of value to offer us?"

Jigo gave a grin and looked through his wares. "You know," Jigo remarked. "These weapons helped during the siege of Odawara and the battle of Sekigahara."

"What side did you sell to?" The lord asked, taking a look at a sturdy spear Jigo had handed him.

"Whoever paid the most," Jigo chuckled. Tachibana returned the laugh. Now that the land was unified, there was no use in dwelling over the past.

"As long as we work together from now on to keep the peace, everything will not have been for nothing." The lord said. "There were many young people out there with much talent." He remembered one such person, a girl who rode on a wolf, and how she helped him during the battle against the Shimazu.

"The world is full of talent...just have to know where to find it and let it grow. Just like taking care of flowers."

"So you sell flowers now?"

"I sell the water to help nourish it, that's all. It's up to the caretaker to put it to good use."

Lord Tachibana motioned to his men to pay the merchant for what they had decided to purchase. Jigo tipped his hat and went on his way.

"There's always someone in need of water!" Jigo laughed to himself as he trodded along the beaten road.

* * *

><p>Tokugawa Leyasu sat on his throne, the coveted spot for the shogun of Japan. His enemies were mostly vanquished as he inherited the country strived for by Oda and Hideyoshi, his predecessors.<p>

In the following peace negotiations, he had arranged for his daughter to marry Hideyoshi's son. That son was the one person Leyasu was still wary of. If he were to grow up and claim his father's title and position, Leyasu would need to find a way to deal with it.

However, the boy was still young. Leyasu still had time to look over him and make sure that road would not be traveled.

The old shogun took a walk in the garden outside of Edo castle. He had only recently received the title of shogun from the emperor, but he quickly took to building up his shogunate. Oda, Hideyoshi, even the girl with the wolf, and many others had paved the way for Leyasu to take control, and he would not give it up so easily. The day will come when he faces the boy Toyotomi, but not today. Leyasu will make sure that peace remains throughout the land, even if it meant defeating those who stood in his way.

* * *

><p>"Mizuki!"<p>

Lady Eboshi called for her favorite handmaiden. The girl rushed to the side of Iron Town's ruler. With only one hand, Eboshi found it rather difficult to perform everyday tasks. For example, every morning she would have someone help her get dressed, while every night she would have someone else prepare her bath. While Ashitaka had the same problem, he decided to try and do it all himself.

Ever since Mizuki was left in the village by Ashitaka, Eboshi took a quick liking to the girl. She was very obedient, well-mannered, and knew how to cook and clean. In return, Eboshi gave the girl very nice living accomodations.

It wasn't that Mizuki was forced to do anything. She felt indebted to Ashitaka for sparing her life, so she would happily take on any task given to her. As her life was given to her.

"Mizuki, have you been practicing your writing?" Eboshi was teaching the girl how to read and write as well, training her to be more cultured and ready for the new age that was soon approaching.

"Yes, ma'am." Mizuki always bowed when addressing Lady Eboshi. "I have learned a new character today - the one for 'strength'."

Lady Eboshi laughed. "That is a good one. You will need to be strong in this world, or else you'll end up like me." She raised her stubbed arm.

When Ashitaka and San came back, Mizuki was very excited. It had been a while since she saw them, but she had grown very accustomed to living in Iron Town during that time. The first thing she spotted, or rather didn't see, was that his right arm itself was missing. With tears, she went up and hugged the warrior, even though it was not her place to do so. In a surprise twist, Ashitaka returned the hug.

"It's been a while, Mizuki," Ashitaka said with a smile. The girl nodded.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore."

"There is much that I've learned with Lady Eboshi," She changed the subject, bowing in the traditional way.

"You plan to serve her for the rest of your life?"

"If that is what my life was given to me for, then yes." Mizuki said. She would never forget what Ashitaka had done for her, or what he had not done. Sure, he attacked her village and killed her father, but she knew Ashitaka did not mean for any of that. After living in the same village as him now, she gained a new perspective on life. The villagers there told her many stories of the town's history and what Ashitaka and San had done for the place. She saw his missing arm as the price he had paid for saving her life, making her feel even more in debt to him.

With a bright smile, Mizuki said. "Please, come to Lady Eboshi's place. I will pour you some tea."

Mio poked out from behind Ashitaka, catching Mizuki's attention quickly. "Who is this?" She asked San.

"This is my sister, Mio." San replied, pulling the little girl out into the open.

"It is nice to meet you," Mio bowed to the girl. Mizuki returned the bow.

"Do you want to go explore the town? I found some nice spots," Mizuki asked the shy girl, taking her hand. Ashitaka and San nodded as the two went off into the town.

Looking back, Mizuki would never forget that day. The day her savior came back from the unknown, and the day she gained a new friend in the girl named Mio. She didn't know what the future would have in store for her, but she knew that they would always be there by her side, to encourage her and help her. And she would one day pay the favor back.

* * *

><p>Iron Town. The lands surrounding the water-based town were lush and green, greener than they had ever been. The people in the village worked day and night to produce the finest iron weapons, armor, and other tools. Many villagers began to fish in the nearby lakes and rivers, while others began to fertilize the nearby land for fresh crops. All of this was done with respect to the land that was given to them, of course.<p>

Mio sat at a riverbank in the forest, her feet dangling in the cool water and her hands on a basket. She had been wandering the forest for a while, collecting berries and nuts. She has actually been wandering for a while and lost her way before deciding to take a rest at the river.

"What will I do?" She asked herself as she looked around. None of the scenery was familiar to her, and her sister was not here to guide her out.

A small noise came from behind the girl. She quickly turned to see a small figure duck behind a tree. Curious, Mio stood up and walked over to the tree.

"Is someone there?" She asked out loud. The grass near the tree began to rustle, giving the little girl a shock. Soon, a small head emerged from behind the tree.

It was a small kodama. Mio had never seen one before, but heard about them from her parents. They would help out people who got lost in the forest.

"Can you help me?" Mio asked the kodama. The little spirit ducked behind the tree again, but came out once more after a few seconds. The kodama nodded and walked off in one direction.

"Wait for me!" Mio exclaimed as she ran back to get her sandals and the basket. The kodama moved pretty quickly for a little spirit; Mio soon lost sight of it. However, the trees above her began to light up as more kodama emerged from the branches. The clattering of their heads gave Mio enough guidance to navigate the twisting forest.

She passed by a larger lake in the heart of the forest, as she turned to look at it, something that looked much like a deer stared back at her. Scared, she quickly turned away. As Mio looked once more, the deer was gone.

The edge of the forest came quickly before her as the kodama stopped short of the exit. "Thank you!" Mio waved to the kodama as they retreated back into the forest. One little spirit waved back towards the girl.

Mio thought about the deer once again, knowing that was the spirit of the forest. She thought about the stories San told her, and about the forest she had just left. With her adventure today, she felt that much closer to her long lost sister. Seeing Iron Town in the distathe asket, eager to tell her brother and sister about what she did that day.

* * *

><p>Haru was put to work soon after reaching the village. The wall surrounding the town was weakened by a small storm that had hit recently. Toka was in charge of rebuilding, and eyed him as soon as he entered the village.<p>

"Good!" Toka grinned. "You brought back some more hands!" Haru didn't anticipate what he would be going through.

Luckily, Haru had done enough carpentry back in his own village. From repairing the boat to repairing a hole in the roof, Haru had done his fair share of gritty work. He managed to carry multiple pieces of wood in and secure them into place pretty quickly. Toka noticed this as well and began giving him even more tasks, such as fetching water, creating rope, working the bellows, repairing houses, and more.

"Why do I have to do all of this work?" Haru asked one day. Toka only laughed.

"You think you can just come in here and live for free?" She stared him right in the eyes. "You have to work for your meals, son! Now, keep going!" Haru only sighed and continued his work.

* * *

><p>Kaya, like many others, waited for the day Ashitaka and San would return to them. She had lived her days in Iron Town in the meantime, quickly taking to working the bellows with Toka and the other girls. She had never done work like that before, but found it rather exciting.<p>

The girl also found love: while working on the bellows, she spotted one of the village boys staring at her work. She giggled and chatted with the other women before they suggested that she talk to him. He was a fisherman's son and worked with Ashitaka a few times before he left. They eventually talked about the warrior and how he influenced both of their lives. Soon after, they found out that they had much more in common and saw each other frequently.

When Ashitaka returned, Kaya was the very first to greet them. She saw him in all of his glory, standing with the girl she could not beat. His curse was gone, but the years of war had definitely changed him. He looked like an entirely different person now. Even though his right arm was gone, she didn't look at him with any less respect and admiration.

"Welcome home, big brother." Kaya bowed to Ashitaka. Even though she was no longer engaged to the former prince, she couldn't resist continuing to call him the same way.

"It is good to see you," Ashitaka replied back. San walked up to the girl and gave her a hug, shocking Kaya. His left arm wrapped around her back as his right stood by his side.

After catching up, Kaya explained that she had been engaged to the fisherman's son. Ashitaka made sure he would give a nice long talk to the boy to make sure he was the right match for her.

"Do you plan on leaving us again soon?" Kaya asked the warrior, but Ashitaka shook his head.

"I've had enough adventure for a while. I will just relax and settle back down here." Ashitaka stretched his left arm out wide.

"I will be waiting to hear all about your adventures."

* * *

><p>The days since Ashitaka and San returned soon turned to months, and then to years. About five years had passed since Ashitaka journeyed all over the country in an attempt to remove the second curse from his body. His daily routine involved handiwork around Iron Town, hunting in the nearby forest, fishing in the river, and his life with San. It took a while to get used to doing these things with one hand, but he soon learned. Others from the village always volunteered to help him out as well.<p>

The two had married soon after returning to Iron Town. Lady Eboshi married them, with much of the village in attendance. San's wolf brothers attended the wedding as well. San wore a beautiful kimono with flowers on them, designed by Mizuki. No one would have expected her to have been raised by wolves with the way she looked.

Soon afterwards, Ashitaka choose to have their house built in the forest, away from the loudness of Iron Town. Many from the town offered to help in its construction. They would visit frequently, but their time together was precious and only for them. And for their children.

Ashitaka and San had twins, one boy named Tatsumi, and one girl named Moro. Their birth was successful and healthy, leaving the happy family with a long life ahead of them.

It was the children's fifth year when they went exploring in the woods together. Moro was the braver of the two, always seeking out new locations and doing new things. Tatsumi was more reserved, always wanting to be with his parents. Moro would often drag her brother along for her adventures.

"But I want to play with Auntie Mio today!" Tatsumi complained as Moro pressed onwards.

"We are going deeper into the forest, Tatsu! You need to come with me!"

"I don't want to-"

The boy tripped over some rocks and fell down a slope. Because Moro had been holding onto his hand, he pulled her down with him. The children screamed as they slid and rolled along the long slope, descending deeper and deeper into the forest.

They soon hit the bottom, with Tatsumi landing first on hard rock and Moro landing right on top of him.

Moro was the first to wake up, with tears coming out of her eyes from the inuries she had sustained. Being only five years old, the fall had taken a lot out of them. Scrapes and cuts lined her body, tearing at her bright blue clothing.

"Tatsumi?" She looked down at her brother and tried to move him, but he did not respond. He looked like he was breathing, but Moro didn't know well enough and thought her brother was already gone.

With more tears in her eyes, she tried shaking her brother. "Tatsumi, wake up! I'm sorry, please come back!" He still didn't respond.

A faint light in the distance attracted Moro's attention. She picked up her brother, bringing one arm over her shoulder, and dragged him towards the light. Her own cuts and scrapes stung with every step she took, but she kept going.

The girl reached a large lake. The area was a place she had never been to before, but looking at the water made her feel very calm. In the center of the lake stood a deer-like figure. After looking, Moro had the urge to walk towards it, but instead laid her brother out on top of the water and walked with him.

She guided his body along the surface of the water for as far as she could before the lake got too deep. Her mother and father had taught them both how to swim, so she was able to continue going at a careful pace.

Eventually, she reached the center of the lake. Flowers bloomed on the mound of land that jutted out from the water. The deer stood over the two children, calm and stoic, as Moro moved her brother onto the island.

"Can you help him?" Moro asked, her voice breaking. "Will he wake up?"

The deer said nothing, but moved towards the children. Moro became increasingly tired as the deer drew closer, and eventually fell asleep right on the island.

"Moro?"

Tatsumi's voice woke the girl from her dream. She yawned, trying to realize where she was. She seemed to be back on the other side of the lake. The island sat in the center of the forest, as tranquil as it was when they arrived. The deer was nowhere to be found. When Moro saw her brother, she cried and gave him a hug.

"You woke up!"

The two children wandered through the forest again, trying to find the way out. Because they had fallen, Moro lost her way. They walked in one direction in the hopes that a familiar location would appear.

However, it was the voices of their parents that helped them get out of the forest.

"Tatsumi! Moro!" San's voice echoed through the forest. At hearing this, Moro ran towards the voice.

"Over here!"

San saw her daughter running and bent down to give her a hug. Tatsumi joined the embrace as San called out. "Ashitaka! They are over here!" The warrior soon arrived and hugged both of his children.

"Don't go wandering off like that again!" Ashitaka said, placing a hand on Moro's head. "We were worried about you. You could have gotten hurt!"

"I'm sorry, father." Moro said, about to cry. Ashitaka said nothing as he hugged his daughter again.

The four walked off, hand in hand, back to their home in the woods.

* * *

><p>Honno-ji Temple. It stood, unaffected by the fires that had engulfed the temple during the betrayal. The carvings of statues lined the outside as the patterns on the roof glistened in the sunlight.<p>

Oda Nobunaga walked out of the temple, hands on his sheathed blade. He had grown accustomed to living the rest of his days at this temple, grateful that he did not burn with it.

The lord made his way to a nearby hill, with a single tree in bloom at the top of it. Toyotomi Hideyoshi stood at the top of the hill, alongside an elk. He was feeding it a rice cracker, telling a story about his own youth. When Oda approached, Hideyoshi turned and bowed to his lord.

"Our work is done, it seems." Oda said, looking out over the hill.

"Yes." Hideyoshi replied. "Do you think it was all worth it? All of the death and fighting?"

"Our lands are unified and seeing a long era of peace." Oda remarked. "Whether or not that will change is up to the current and future generations. As long as they don't forget we existed, they can help guide the lands forward to a new era.

"Is it time to go, then? They are getting restless."

Hideyoshi pointed out over the hill. Far from where the two men stood, thousands of soldiers stood at attention. All wearing different colored armors, belonging to different daimyos, and fighting for different sides.

Oda took one last look at the temple before calling the men to attention for the last time.

"It is time we march on! To unknown lands! Our job is now done, and we can finally rest!"

The men all raised their arms and cheered, a cheer that echoed throughout the empty field. They all turned and marched off towards the horizon, ready to rest.

As they marched on, the men began to blur and turn to smoke, joining with the fog that surrounded the land.

"You too," Hideyoshi waved to the elk that stood on the hill. The three descended the hill slowly, taking in the sights, preparing for what awaited beyond the horizon.

* * *

><p>"It's over here!" A group of children wandered through a forest on Hokkaido. They were a group of two boys and two girls, each ten years old.<p>

"I'm not allowed to be out this far from the village," One of the girls said.

"You need to see this, though!" One boy yelled.

The children gathered in front of a small rock. There was nothing special about it except for what was coming out of it. A black sword was stuck deep inside the rock, as if someone had placed it there. One of the boys approached it and placed his hands on the hilt, trying to force it out.

"It won't budge!"

"That looks dangerous," The other girl said. "Maybe we should leave it alone."

"Come help me with it!" The boy waved to the others. Reluctantly, the other three crowded around the blade and grabbed onto the boy.

"On three: one...two...three!"

With one great pull, the sword came free from the rock, knocking back the children in the process. The sword flew up in the air and landed a short distance away from them. When it hit the ground, a demonic sound came from the blade as a black fog rose up from where it landed. That was enough to scare the girls away as they ran away screaming. One boy ran after them, trying to calm them down.

The remaining boy was drawn to the sword, as if it were talking to him. He stood over the blade, slowly reaching his hand over it. Whispers entered and left his head as he saw the blade's history flash before his eyes.

With one gulp, the boy steadied his hand, placed it on the sword, and picked it up.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note 2: With that, the tale is finally over! Again, thank you to anyone who has reviewed chapters along the way, followed the story, and read to the end. It was a long three years, lasting a little longer than it should have, but I always had the intention of finishing what I started. I have grown as a writer since starting this story and hope to put that knowledge to good use, as well as continue to grow. I am not sure if I will continue this story(There are many ways it could go from here) or write another fanfic on this site for a while, but who knows what the future holds.<strong>

**Cheers,**

**Pirobi**


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